Presque Isle and Mapleton, Maine - M. Joan (Adams) Garland, 93, passed away December 16, 2020, at an assisted living facility in Presque Isle after a brief illness. She was born June 6, 1927, in Presque Isle, the third child of Ansel and Margaret (Hansen) Adams. Her birth certificate read Margaret Joan Adams, but it was intended to be Joan Margaret Adams. It is important to note that her first name of Joan was pronounced, "Jo-ann."

Joan grew up on Blake Street and in high school, she worked with her sisters serving ice cream and soda at a food counter at Brown's Pharmacy on Main Street, which would later become City Drug Store. Joan graduated from Presque Isle High School in 1945, and attended Fisher Secretarial School (now Fisher College) in Boston until 1946. She met the love of her life, Roland E. Garland (whom she called Raleigh), while in Boston even though they were both from Presque Isle. Their courtship included plays and other amazing dates in the metropolitan city. When Raleigh was finished serving in the U.S. Navy during WWII and Joan graduated, they united in Presque Isle and got married in 1947. She worked as a secretary for Ab Smith, an insurance adjuster, and AW Higgins Fertilizer Company. In 1948, their first son, Woodford (Woodie) was born. They built a home on the Mapleton Road in 1949 and son, Stephen (Steve), daughter, Donna, and son, William (Bill) followed. Raleigh was self-employed at the family business of Garland's Auto Electric Service in Presque Isle and Joan did the bookkeeping while they raised their family. Later, she did the bookkeeping for the Mapleton Sewer District.

Joan was a member of the Mapleton United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir and remained involved throughout her life with the United Methodist Women Group. She did many crafts and fundraisers through the years with these ladies and was especially proud of the "quillo" (quilted blanket that folded into a pillow). She and Raleigh enjoyed square dancing with Fernald and Hazel Garland as members (and past Presidents) of the Spud Shufflers for 35 years. They also shared a mutual love of the game Cribbage and the games played over the years are too numerous to count. Joan was a bowler for ten years and earned several trophies from Astrobowl Lanes. She had a fascination with genealogy and was proud of her Danish heritage (Hansen). She would state she had a good marriage, and her biggest accomplishment was the family they raised, especially her three boys.

The most challenging thing in her life occurred when her daughter, Donna became ill with Pneumonia at four and a half months old. The fever left Donna with mental and physical disabilities. Joan became her biggest advocate and served as the corresponding secretary on the board of directors at the Opportunity Training Center (now Central Aroostook Association) for 26 years, from 1976 to 2002. After Raleigh passed in 2007, Joan and Donna moved to a house on Cedar Street in Presque Isle for six years until they moved into Leisure Gardens in 2013. Joan would come to realize that Donna was a miracle, and she is proud to have been her caregiver until she was 89 years old and Donna was 65. Donna is now 69, with a shared living provider and has been attending the adult program at Central Aroostook Association for 51 years.

While at Leisure Gardens, Joan met a special friend, James (Jim) S. McConnell while playing Cribbage and they travelled to Canada, through Maine and to New Hampshire searching for old, covered bridges and other points of interest until Jim passed in 2018.

In August 2020, Joan attended her 75th Presque Isle High School Class Reunion dinner with four of her classmates, a milestone not many attain.

In addition to her parents, Joan was predeceased by her sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Williams; her brother, Calvin Adams; her husband of 60 years, Roland E. Garland; her daughter-in-law, Connie Garland; her son, Woodford E. Garland in 2018; and a special friend of five years, James S. McConnell.

She is survived by her sister, Jean Winslow of Rochester, New York; son, Stephen Garland and his wife, Isabel Lee of Washington, Utah; her daughter, Donna Garland of Hamlin; her son, William Garland and his wife, Lucinda of Salem, New Hampshire; her ex daughter-in-law, Ann Drost Garland of Presque Isle; her ex daughter-in-law, Ann Twombly of Eliot; her granddaughter, Laurie Amero and her husband, Scott of Mapleton; her granddaughter, Paige Allen and her husband, John of Veazie; her grandson, Craig Roland Garland of Westbrook; her granddaughter, Moriah Allen and her husband, Jay of Englewood, Colorado; her grandson, Kevin Garland and his wife, Melissa of Natick, Massachusetts; her grandson, Ryan Garland and his wife, Jill Uzdavinis of Dover, New Hampshire; great-grandchildren, Justin Gagnon and his wife, Brooke of Augusta, Alec Gagnon, Katelyn Amero, Jaxton Garland; step-great-grandchild, Chase Allen and his wife, Courtney of Fort Worth, Texas; an additional 13 step-grandchildren; 23 step-great-grandchildren; and 4 step-great-great-grandchildren. Joan is also survived by her lifelong friend, Phyllis (Southard) Rentchler of Tehachapi, California; her long-term neighbor and friend, Rhoda McDougall Brown of Presque Isle; and many nieces and nephews.

Joan had a bond with a special granddaughter, Laurie Amero, who managed her care for the last several years. Other special helpers in her life were niece, Sandy Gagnon; niece, Janice Wood; and ex daughter-in-law, Ann Drost Garland. The family would like to thank the staff at Aroostook Area Agency on Aging, AR Gould Northern Light Health Palliative Care, Cancer Care, Home Care and Hospice, the Aroostook House of Comfort, and the staff and her friends at Leisure Gardens for her care and socialization for the past seven years.

A private viewing for the family is being held at Duncan Graves Funeral Home on Friday, December 18, 2020, and a celebration of her life will be held later in the Spring of 2021, before a Graveside Service at Fairmount Cemetery in Presque Isle. Please make donations in her memory to Central Aroostook Association, 25 Lombard Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769.