Joanne Stevenson Ragette was born on Sunday, June 2nd, 1935. She was the daughter of Walter Newhall Stevenson and Virginia Murray Stevenson. She was the beloved mother to the Akins children, Cary, Terry, Kevin and Cristin and the Grandmother to Alex and Cristina Villamil~Akins as well as several dogs over the years. She was the younger sister of Walter Stevenson and Ginny Stevenson~Dykzuel and the older sister of Susan Stevenson~Reyburn.
Joanne grew up on Bangor Road in Bala Cynwyd PA and went to St. Matthias School through 8th grade then on to Lower Marion High School. After Lower Merion she attended Drexel University in Philadelphia and was Drexel’s 1955 Homecoming Queen. She was an Airline Stewardess for TWA Airlines where she flew out of Los Angeles and and lived in Manhattan Beach before marrying Tommy Akins and becoming a wonderful homemaker to her husband and her for four children.
Joanne lived a full life… a good life and lived in many beautiful homes on the Philadelphia’s Main Line, Cape Cod, Providence Rhode Island, Hilton Head Island and finally, Eagle Idaho. Joanne loved to cook amazing meals and spending as much time with family and friends as possible. She was known for her amazing dinner parties and fabulous friends. She was always up for an adventure and spending as much time as possible traveling with her husband Bill Ragette, who preceded her in death in 2006. Like our Grandmother “MomMomey” she loved different cultures and traveled the world. She loved sewing, and was an accomplished seamstress. In her younger years she loved skiing the slopes of Aspen & Vail Colorado, Sun Valley Idaho & Stowe and Stratton Vermont.
As with all families where a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the last 6 years since her diagnosis have been challenging and sad for all of us and although we knew this day would come, we miss her terribly and there is a tremendous void knowing she is no longer on this Earth. We do however rejoice in knowing that she’s now in Heaven with our Lord Jesus and reunited with her Mother and Father and all her loved ones who passed before her. Mom is now whole again and no longer afflicted by a horrible disease…
Rest in Peace Mom, we love you and miss you…