Joann passed away peacefully at home with her husband Terry, and son Gary by her side after a lengthy battle with complications from a stroke several years ago.
Joann was born, raised, and lived her entire life in Escalon. After graduating from Escalon High School in 1959, Joann married her High School sweetheart, Terry. Joann and Terry raised two boys, Gary and Steven, on a ranch on the edge of town with plenty of time spent outside. Family activities included Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, camping and water skiing out at Woodward Reservoir, gardening, cooking, sewing, soap making, scrapbooking and crafting at the house in town. As a family, they worked nights and weekends on their rental houses, renovating them for new tenants. Joann performed all the bookkeeping for the business. In the 1980s, she enrolled in computer and bookkeeping classes at Modesto Junior College and then spent the next several years as a Tax Preparer for H&R Block.
Her son Steven enlisted in the Army in 1986. During the 2000s, Joann and Terry made several trips in their motorhome to Alaska to visit their son, Steven. After the trips, she prepared photo albums of the trips, with help from her friends in Creative Memories. Also in the 2000s they purchased a local almond orchard from her uncle, Paul Wilson to pass the ranch to the next generation in the family. Joann, Terry and her mother Sibyl would spend holidays, special occasions, and sometimes just because, in San Jose with Gary, his wife Marcella and her grandchildren.
She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and John Mello; her husband, Terry; her son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Marcella; and grandchildren, Benjamin and Emily.
Visitation - Monday, January 27, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Deegan Funeral Chapel, 1441 San Joaquin St., Escalon, CA 95320. Graveside Services - Tuesday, January 28, 10 a.m., Burwood Cemetery, 28320 E. River Road, Escalon, CA 95320. Reception Following – TBD.
In memory of Joann Gulmon, the family requests donations be made to The Salvation Army, Modesto Corps, at PO Box 1663, Modesto, CA 95353.
The Escalon (Calif.) Times
Jan. 22, 2025
