Joanna Begay

Our beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and dear friend left to meet the Lord during the early morning hours of July 7, 2020.  Joanna King Begay lived her life of 74 years old blessing us with her loving, comforting, and humorous character.

Joanna’s devoted faith in the Lord was evident in all that she did and lived for.  Besides being a loving, empathetic, and caring woman, she displayed God’s glorious creation in her gardening, quilting, family photography, and through gospel songs and praise.

Joanna’s maternal clan was Bit’ahnii and she was born for the Hoghanlani clan.  She loved each and every one of her many family members as her own and extended her love to friends, school/work acquaintances, and members of her church at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Shiprock, NM.  She leaves behind her husband Harold L Begay, her son Delmer and wife Amber Lee, her daughter Mary H Begay, mother Margaret King, sister Martha and husband Arnold Frank, brother Calvin and wife Louise King, sister Corena King and husband Fred Charley, sister Rita and husband Vernon Goodluck Sr., brother Jim B. and wife Alberta King, and sister Daryl King.  Joanna was also blessed with her beautiful grandchildren Deidra, Devin, Deandrea, Delania, Delvin, Demarious, Deliyah, Leighanne, Alyssa, Alexis, Adonis, and Kharis.  Her great-grandchildren were DeAndre, Violet, Logan, Olivia, Taylor, Tristan, and Kaius.  Joanna’s extended family includes her aunt Lucy Nakai and family, aunt Betty Todacheeny and family, cousin-sister Elizabeth and husband Eugene John and family, cousin-sister Juanita Wiley and family, cousin-sister Maggie Benally and family, the families of the late John and Fannie Woods, the families of the late Herbert and Jean Tom, and the Garnanez family.

Although Joanna will be greatly missed, her arrival in heaven was greeted by her son Delbert “Bert” Ryan King, brother Raymond King, brother James King, brother Ross King, step father Jim B. King Sr., close aunt Fannie and husband John Woods, aunt Louise and husband Peter Wiley, uncle Herbert and wife Jean Tom, uncle George Tom, maternal grandmother Hatti and husband Jim Tom, maternal grandmother Marilyn Nelson, and niece Dania King.

Viewing will be held Tuesday, July 14, 2020 from 9:00 am – 10:00 am at Cope Memorial Chapel in Kirtland, NM.

Graveside services will be held the same day following the viewing at 11:00 am at the Kirtland Fruitland Cemetery officiated by Pastor John Greydanus.

Joanna’s care is entrusted to Cope Memorial Chapel of Kirtland, 458 Road 6100, (505) 598-9636.