Joanne Edith Engle Brown was born at the family home in Coupeville to Will C. Engle and Anna Bess Hesselgrave, on January 14, 1934. Joanne, her younger brother Bill, and her parents lived next door to her grandparents, Edith Wanamaker and Charles Terry Engle. Joanne would come home from school and spend hours listening to her Grandfather tell stories of local history and of growing up in Coupeville. His father, William Ballinger Engle settled here in the 1850’s and his mother, Flora Augusta Pearson Engle came here with her father in 1866. Joanne’s deep love for local and family history is easy to understand, considering her deep family roots in the Central Whidbey Island Community.

Joanne attended Washington State University, and graduated from Western Washington College of Education in Bellingham. She taught grades 4-6 in Snohomish for 4 years, and moved to California for the bulk of her teaching career. While in California, Joanne decided to try a brand-new computer matchmaking service. The company loaded her “punchcards” into the computer’s reader, and a gentleman by the name of Dave Brown was the computer’s choice. As it turned out, the computer was right. Joanne won Dave over with her lemon meringue pie, and they were married in 1968, enjoying their lives together for 53 years.

Dave and Joanne travelled the world together, but ultimately called Coupeville home after retirement. Their last big trip was to visit friends in Kentucky. Their love for dogs kept them busy on the show circuit, showing and living with up to 6-8 prize winning Keeshonden at a time. Joanne was show secretary of various dog clubs (Keeshonden, Norwegian Elkhounds, Salukis, Afghan Hounds, and Harriers) for 20 years. Their home was a showcase for numerous trophies, awards, and photos of their beloved dogs.

Joanne was an active member of the Daughters of Pioneers and the Island County Historical Society, where she served as a board member and docent. She edited Flora Engle’s collected writings (and others) and hand-bound hundreds of copies and donated them to the Island County Museum to sell in their museum store. She was an avid reader and “crossworder”. She was also featured in the DVDs “The Life and Times of Flora Augusta Pearson Engle” and “Sunnyside Cemetery”, produced by Island County Museum.

Joanne was preceded in her passing by her brother Bill (Faye). She is survived by her husband Dave Brown, and will be fondly remembered by so many friends and family.

Service to be held at a later date.