Joan Mary Ainsworth of Spearfish, SD, passed away at the age of 90 on Nov. 9, 2017. Joan was born on April 15, 1927 in Lead, SD, to Florence (Kitterman) and Omer Moorhead. Upon graduating from Spearfish High School in 1945, she attended BHSU. She married the man of her dreams, Stan Ainsworth, in 1946. Together they had 7 daughters.
While Stan was teaching in Buffalo, SD, Joan was very active, giving private piano lessons, teaching choral music in the Buffalo School system, and sharing her talent and love of music with the community.
After moving to Winner, SD, in 1954, Jo worked for her uncle, Cliff Doud, at the Modern Cleaners while Stan began his 20 year teaching tenure in the Winner School District. They purchased this business in 1959. Later they became owners of the bowling alley on Main Street. In 1975 they built the new Galaxy Inn and Star Lanes outside of Winner.
In 1979, Joan and Stan moved back to Spearfish where she worked in various positions at the Dorsett Healthcare Facility for 17 years, again entertaining the residents with her musical gift. In 2005 the couple moved to Payson, AZ. After the passing of her husband in 2016, she returned to Spearfish where she resided until her death.
She is survived by her daughters, Jackie (Bob) Dinardi – Payson, AZ; Sandy (John) Wilkinson – Spearfish, SD; Doni O’Malley (Scott Bucher) – Payson, AZ; JoLynn Dougherty – Sioux Falls, SD; Bobbie (John) Voegeli – Winner, SD. She was blessed with 13 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren: Tyler (Kelly) Messick and Tatum; Wade (Julie) Wilkinson, Morgen and Cameron; Heather Wilkinson (Jarrod Walton), Kelsey and Samantha; John O’Malley, Lucas and Jax; Shani O’Malley (Josh Powers), Jaggar, Holly, and Zane; Katie O’Malley ( Tim Zigler), Jessica and Caetlin; Tori Smith (Josh Monahan), Soren, Layne, and Allison; Tami (Casey) Heyer, Belle, Libby, Eryka, and Gracyn; Ryan (Janelle) Routh, Rylynn, Landon, and Peyton; Pam Routh (Justin Lynde), Cole, Jax, Maks, and Kensley; Sam Voegeli; Jace Voegeli; and Daniel Haak (Audrey Larson) and Zoey Dee. She is also survived by her sister, Gloria (Jim) Nelson, sisters-in-law, Mary Ann Moorhead and Garnette Ainsworth as well as several nieces and nephews. Additional survivors include a host of close friends and staff members at Sandstone Manor and the Dorsett Healthcare Facility.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Stan; daughters, Pamela and Kelly; her parents; brothers, Gerald and Don Moorhead; mother-in-law, Rena Shipley; son-in-law, Jim Dougherty; sisters-in-law, IdaMae Moorhead and Lillian Ainsworth; brothers-in-law, Lydston and Lyle Ainsworth; and several nieces and nephews.
Jo will always be remembered for her fabulous cinnamon rolls and baking skills. Her “loving and spoiling ways” will be forever cherished by her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Joan and Stan will be laid to rest together with a family celebration of life at the Black Hills National Cemetery at a later date.
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