Joan Powell Clary

Joan Powell Clary, age 87, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family on November 16, 2017. Joan lived a long and happy life, the highlight of which was her family. She treasured every phone call, text, and visit with her children, grandkids, and great-grands. She loved just being with them, whether it was eating an ice cream cone on her patio or watching her little great-grands play. Joan was born on March 16,1930 to Charles and Nell Haxel in Ponca City, OK. As a child, Joan’s favorite pastime was climbing her tree, sitting up in it, and dreaming. She was a tiny little girl and the neighbor boys called her “Bug”. One of her claims to fame as a little girl was that she could spit through her front teeth farther than anyone! Joan was an accomplished violinist, playing through high school. She graduated from Ponca City High and Northern Oklahoma College.

Joan married her high school sweetheart, Bill Powell, in 1949 and they were married for 30 wonderful years before his death in 1979. Joan and Bill lived in Ponca City where they were blessed with two children, Steve and Jennifer, whom she loved dearly. She loved being a mother most of all, and was a Cub Scout den mother and CampFire girl leader. Joan and Bill and family moved to Norman, OK in 1969, where they were very active in the First Christian Church of Norman, hosting many discussion groups in their beautiful backyard. Joan also worked as the church secretary for several years before working as secretary to the Director of Music at OU for 12 years. Joan loved nature and being outdoors. She loved growing beautiful flowers and watching the sunset.

Joan married Jerry Clary in 1980 and they were married for 33 joyous years before his death in 2013. Jerry had two sons, Hal and Craig, who became family. “Joannie" as Jerry called her, loved spending time at the lake on their boat, taking all of their kids and grandkids tubing, skiing, and Sea-Dooing. One of her favorite things to do was to ride the Sea-Doo at night, under a full moon, and she always said she was “Sea-Dooing on a moonbeam”. She was also a big Oklahoma Sooners fan and held football season tickets for many years. Joan and Jerry loved taking their motorhome on vacations with friends to the beach and to see family in Virginia.

Joan was called “Nanny” by her grandkids and great-grands. She always had homemade cookies for their visits and loved baking Christmas sugar cookies with her grandkids each year. She will always be remembered and treasured for her sweetness and unconditional love. Her love for her family will be a legacy that will live on in her sweet grandkids and great-grands forever. Joan’s family would like to thank the special caregivers who helped care for her the past few years. Their care and love for her was a gift from God.

Joan was preceded in death by her first husband, Bill Powell; her second husband, Jerry Clary; her parents; her brother, Paul Haxel; and her son-in-law Bill Jaqua. She is survived by her son, Steve Powell and wife Gina of Woodbridge, VA; her daughter Jennifer Jaqua of Norman, OK; and sons Hal Clary and wife Debbie of Norman, OK and Craig Clary and wife Tracy of Tulsa, OK. Nanny is also survived by 13 grandkids and 23 great-grands: Rachel and Jon Mullen and their children Elizabeth and Drew; Josh and Brittney Powell and their children Jack, Nate, Sam, and Will; Jon and Olya Powell; Gabby and Jonah Anderson; Aaron and Laurel Jaqua and their children Bennett, Willa, and Zoe; Jeremy and SarahBeth Jaqua and their children Lawson and Hayes; Shannon and David Burget and their children Lottie and Quinn; Randi and Steven Jones and their children Madeleine and Mathias; Chris Clary; Jared and Kristin Clary and their children Micah, Jocilyn, Kinsley, and Jaydin; Cherlyn and Tom Edwards and their children Gavin, Audrey, and Grant; Brooke Tang and her daughter Ella; and Parker Inglett.