Joan Arlene (Morris) Nofsinger

Joan Arlene (Morris) Nofsinger

     KEYSER, WV - Joan Arlene (Morris) Nofsinger, 91, of Keyser, WV died Monday, August 22, 2022 at the Fountains at the Albemarle Skilled Nursing Facility in Tarboro, NC. The daughter of Bertha Mae (Riley) Morris and John Lewis Morris, she was born on September 1, 1930 at home on Roosevelt Street in Westernport. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 62 years, Robert (Bobby) Nofsinger and her three siblings - Roger Montgomery Morris, John Thomas Morris, & Shirley Ann Smith.

     Joan was a pioneer throughout her entire life. She was smart, driven, and never let the challenges in her life stop her - a role model that her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren still strive to emulate. In 1948 Joan graduated with honors from Saint Peters High School. She married right after high school and began her journey as a wife and mother. Before marrying Bobby she worked as a receptionist at Potomac Valley Hospital and a bartender at Jakes in Westernport. During their first years of marriage, she raised three children; renovated their first family home in Luke; volunteered at St. Peters School; filled the basement shelves with homegrown canned vegetables and learned to play the piano. In her mid-thirties, after finally getting her driver’s license and with the support of her family, she decided to pursue her life long dream of a college education. She quickly earned a BS in Mathematics Education from Frostburg State University (1970) and her MA in Mathematics from West Virginia University (1974). 

     Joan started her teaching career at Piedmont High School in 1970, then transferred to Keyser Middle School in 1975. She continued to teach there until her retirement in 1996. During her 26 years of teaching in Mineral County, she received many awards including:  Presidential Award for Excellence in Math Teaching (1985) for which she and Bobby traveled to DC and met President Reagan; WV Junior High Teacher of the Year (1985); Frostburg State University Alumni Achievement Award (1986); WVCM Distinguished Service Award (1995). She co-authored a teaching manual “Problem-Solving Experiences in Mathematics” which was published in 1985. Bobby was her greatest supporter during these years and traveled by her side to all of her professional conferences and meetings.

     In all of her accomplishments, her greatest pleasure was instilling her love of math in all of her students, no matter their academic level. She organized school-wide math marathons and field days that were still being held long after her retirement.  She couldn’t travel anywhere in the Tri-towns without being approached by one of her former students. Each year she erected a special Christmas tree filled with handmade ornaments, notes, and photos from her students.

     Joan was an avid reader, from the classics to romance novels (she always carried a book with her, even when she was shopping). She was a Weight Watcher lecturer and empathized with the challenges of weight loss. She was an accomplished seamstress, even making beautiful Barbie doll clothes on her old Singer treadle sewing machine. She also loved to crochet, making Christmas afghans for all of her family and close friends and 100s of prayer shawls for anyone who needed a hug. Before moving from Keyser, she continued to play cards (especially Bridge and Hand&Foot), to research family genealogy, garden, and scrapbook. She read the Bible every morning before starting the day.

     Both Joan and Bobby loved to travel. Their trips took them from New England to Florida and across the United States to Hawaii. They cruised to the Bahamas and flew to England and Scotland where Joan traced the steps of one of her favorite books, Outlander. After their retirement, they spent winters in Myrtle Beach. Their greatest joy, however, was arranging special family vacations at Deep Creek Lake, Myrtle Beach, Williamsburg, Massanutten, and especially the annual July 4th reunions around their pool, watching the fireworks. Four generations making wonderful memories.

     Joan is survived by her children: Debbie Harvey Vickery and husband, Jim (Durham, NC); John Arthur Nofsinger and wife, Annie (Edenton, NC); and Mary Kathryn Kerns and husband, DeWayne (Keyser, WV); her grandchildren: Stuart Vickery and wife, Becky, April Vickery, Jake Nofsinger, Joe Nofsinger, John Nofsinger, Zachary Kerns and wife, Micayla, and her great-grandchildren: Morgan Vickery, Abigail Vickery, and Jensen Kerns. A special shout-out to her nephew, Tom Morris, who with his son Amel, built the beautiful stone wall and terraced garden behind Joan and Bobby’s Keyser home and with his wife, Mary Anne, always found time to visit. 

     Bobby died from Covid-19 on January 1, 2021. For the protection of his family and friends, a private graveside service was held. Today the family wishes to honor both Bobby and Joan in a celebration of life and love.

     Friends will be received at the Markwood Funeral Home, Keyser on Friday, August 26, 2022 from 1:00 – 4:00p.m. with a Christian Wake Service at 4:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial for both Bobby and Joan will be celebrated at the Divine Mercy Parish St. Peters Church, 127 Church Street, Westernport, MD on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 11:00am. The Mass will be officiated by the Reverend Father Edward S. Hendricks and Deacon Harold Bradley. Interment will follow services in the St. Peters Cemetery, Westernport.

     In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org/donate or Wounded Warrior Project, support.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate.

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