November 19, 1926 - May 1, 2023

Joan Dawkins Oliver passed away peacefully on Monday, May 1, 2023, in Roanoke, VA comforted by the presence of her two children and their spouses.

Joan was born in DeQueen, Arkansas as the only child of a grocer and a hairdresser. At an early age she moved to Kilgore, Texas. The Great Depression pressured her family to move to Clarendon, Texas where her father learned to be a blacksmith while she attended her first years of elementary school. As the nation’s economy rebounded, the Dawkins family moved back to Kilgore. After her parents divorced, Joan lived in the back of her mother’s beauty salon and was raised primarily by her grandmother. She remembers frequently attending the local Kilgore movie theater alone as a child because it was one of the few places with air conditioning. As a result, she had a great love of 1930’s motion pictures and even learned to tap dance.

After a short time at Kilgore College, she moved to Dallas. Her life took a significant turn when she accepted a blind date with a Texas Aggie, Howard Oliver, who had returned from the war and was finishing his last two years of college. Thus began a romance that led to a wedding in December 1948 and 73 wonderful years of marriage.

Howard’s work at Westinghouse led to many moves over the years including assignments in Texas, California, Mexico City, Cordoba (Spain) and finally, Pittsburgh. Along the way, Joan and Howard managed to have two children, Nancy and Bob.

Joan was known for her determination, sense of humor, her beautiful smile, and willingness to help others. She was active in PEO and with the Salvation Army. Joan was active with her church all her life, especially Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St Clair. She valued her friendships from all these activities as well as her Ex-Mex group of friends from living in Mexico City.

For an only child, Joan was amazed at how large her family grew over the years. Nancy and Bob with their spouses, David and Karin, provided Joan with four grandchildren who all married: Paul Gray (and Erin), Jeffrey Gray (and Janelle), Scott Gray (and Callie) and Sara Oliver (and Eric). And to Joan’s immense pride these four couples made the “only child Joan” a great grandmother ten times.

Joan and Howard kept a running score of their gin rummy games throughout their marriage. Joan was significantly behind. Howard passed away in July of 2021 about four months after his 96th birthday. The family is confident Joan is making sure Howard knows she bested him by living five months after her 96th birthday.

Nancy and Bob give their sincere thanks to caregivers Janet, Nikki, Merlyn, Samantha, Ebony, Alisha and Melissa who gave Joan such friendship and loving care in her last days.

The family requests donations in Joan’s honor be directed to Westminster Presbyterian Church and The Salvation Army Pittsburgh.

A private memorial service will be held this summer.