Called by our heavenly Father to be free of earthly bonds and come Home after a life lived well and fully, Joan Lillie (Seachrist) Rebuck, 85, formerly of Plum Creek Valley, Rockefeller Township (Sunbury RD) and most recently a resident of Nottingham Village, Northumberland passed away on Saturday, April 11, 2020, concluding a dauntless battle with Alzheimer's dementia.

Joan was born in Lower Mahanoy Township, just outside of Dalmatia, on Dec. 12, 1934, a daughter of the late Lillie Ann (Deppen) and Clarence Henry Seachrist. Joan spent her growing years learning both the hard work needed, and the satisfaction gained from being part of her most beloved family of five sisters and three brothers. She understood early the value of community as the Enders family became an extension of the Seachrist clan during those early years and have remained steadfast friends since that time. Likewise, the Deitrich and Yoder families became a lively part of the Rebuck family's life during all the years that she and Dean spent in the Plum Creek Valley.

On Oct. 1, 1955, she married the true and lasting love of her life, Dean Irvin Rebuck. They enjoyed more than 58 years of matrimony before his passing in 2014. She is survived by three daughters, Cynthia L., wife of Douglas Manning, of Northumberland; Tina E., wife of Eric Heim, of Stonington; Lisa A. Rebuck of Sunbury; and a son, David I., husband of Robin (Malone) Rebuck, of Northumberland. She loved and will be missed by her seven grandchildren, Jason E. and Melissa R. (and spouse Joseph Barnes) Heim, Douglas P. Jr. (and spouse Lisa (Eury), Joshua N. (and spouse Courtney (Warren)), and Anna L. Manning, Andrew D. (and spouse Erin (Jones) and Adam D. (and spouse Ashley (Cellitti)) Rebuck. She embraced all her grandchildren's spouses, fiancées and significant others as members of her family always sure to share with all of them her recipes for great food and a good life. Her seven great-grandchildren, Justin (and spouse Kadye (Miner)), Cloey and Conner Heim, Gavin, Carter and Brooks Rebuck, and Samson Barnes all brought her delight and made her feel just a little bit younger. She was fortunate enough to also see the coming of the first of her great-great-grandchildren, Alyiah and Havyn Heim. Joan was predeceased by her sister, Germaine F. (and spouse Clarence White); three brothers, John H. (and spouse Lois L. (Kieffer)), Roger D. and Ned C. Seachrist. She is survived by her twin sisters, Flora M. (widow of Lee Clark) and Gloria A. (widow of Herbert Bohner), and Ruth E. (and spouse Wayne Reed) Seachrist, as well as her sisters-in-law, Vivian A. (Rebuck) Duttry (widow of Lloyd Duttry), Joan I. (Bordner) Seachrist, and Cynthia M. (Hartranft) Seachrist. Joan's extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws were all cherished by her and will celebrate her life and times at family reunions and gatherings for years to come.

Joan was a Mahanoy Joint High School graduate. It was there that she first caught the attention of Dean and where they were ever onward a couple. Joan was so very grateful to the educators who helped her to appreciate the joy of learning to do things well, building her formidable skills in cooking, baking, embroidery, quilting, and sewing while saving time to read and dream. Her classmates supported her and remained important to her throughout the years. Her marriage to Dean began following his service in the Navy in the Korean War. It was during Dean's time away that her skills as a letter writer and correspondent evolved; skills that she passed to her children, as Joan taught them to become letter-writers at a very young age, as the family stayed connected to her brother Ned, while he was courageously serving our country in the Army while he was stationed in Vietnam during that war. Letter writing became Joan's best example of staying in touch with family and friends - long before voicemail, email, texting, or Facebook became the modus operandi for social networking.

As a mother, Joan was endlessly loving but also a by-the-book taskmaster, and opportunistic teaching wizard. She never retired, nor did she easily relinquish control of her kitchen; her house was always ready for company. More than almost anything Joan loved to spend time with her immediate and extended family. She was multifaceted and possessed generations' worth of knowledge in nature, gardening, tending flower beds, camping, hiking, and so many outdoor activities. She enjoyed reading and the privilege of respite that the time represented, but always took the time to read her daily devotions. At many day's end following long hot days of honest work, Joan and Dean could be found on their porch relaxing on their swing to stay cool on summer nights.

As a child of the Depression, Joan lived the ideals of waste not/want not and finding a kindred spirit in Dean they were "green" before our nation's first Earth Day; embracing and advocating the ideals of reduce, re-use/re-purpose, or recycle. She protected the environment she loved; she was scrupulously devoted to reducing waste and we children have benefited and learned from such a life. Our mom showed us the value of family, the glory of every season, the importance of traditions, the requirements of stewardship and the revealing of grace that is forever abounding. As a grandmother and until the end of her days she loved children - welcoming them with an ability to find the spark in each one.

Although a small-town girl at heart Joan had a lifelong sense of wonder about the world; she was always "up for a road trip." She explored state and national parks across the northeast and into Canada on camping, hiking, and fishing excursions with her family. She also had grand adventures on planes, trains, automobiles, and cruise ships exploring Cooperstown, New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Denver, Washington, St. Augustine, Anchorage, San Francisco, Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto with family and friends.

Outside the sphere of her own family, whom she valued above all earthly connections, she cherished her church family. She was a member of United Lutheran Church at Wolfes Crossroads, Sunbury and was a joyful steward serving quietly alongside Dean, her close friends Alice and Mark Raup, Doris Berger, and so many others in a myriad of service activities within the church. While Joan never sang in the choir, she could be heard gently singing her favorite hymns as she worked each day. She enjoyed watching classic movie musicals with her family, her all-time favorite had to be "The Sound of Music." Her singing reflected her faith, it was her rock, and her foundation was firm.

In the final arc of her life, Joan faced the onset of dementia with grace and appreciation for those who cared so deeply for her, beginning with Dean before his passing and then their children. The tender and thoughtful staff at Nottingham Village became part of her, and now, our family too. From her first days at Heather Court and up to her last days at Station 2, she regaled her caregivers in joyful song each morning. As the disease removed her social filters, we discovered that she was the same sweet soul we knew all along. The sessions that the physical and occupational therapists spent with her helped Joan to maintain mobility and function for years. The nurses and nursing assistants during every one of her days made the burden of this terrible disease lighter. The thoughtful and kind dietary staff provided Joan with appealing meals each day to nourish and sustain her throughout her entire stay. The housekeeping staff kept Joan's room in a pristine condition, the laundry services team made sure her clothes were presentable and worked with us to make sure her "wardrobe" was compete. The activities team notably provided residents meaningful, enjoyable, and impactful activities that always brought smiles to our mom's face and kept us appraised of how Joan was fairing in the Nottingham community and devoted themselves to helping us during Mom's last days. Even the maintenance staff knew our mom and became familiar and welcoming faces. Our family grew larger and we will be forever thankful for the many caring and wonderful brother and sister caregivers at Nottingham Village during this last chapter of Joan's life.

A graveside service and interment will be at the convenience of the family with Pastor Andrew Weaver presiding. A memorial service and celebration of life will be planned and announced at a time more suited to a community gathering.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United Lutheran Church, 167 Seven Points Road, Sunbury, PA 17801, or to the donor's favorite charity.

The Robert G. Foust Jr. Funeral Home, Trevorton, is aiding the family with arrangements.