Joan (Hammill) Parker, passed away peacefully on April 9 th , 2023, at Palomar Medical Center, Escondido, CA. She was born on July 15 th , 1938, in Appleton, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of the late John Hammill and Anita Van Vreede Hammill. Joan was a Licensed Vocational Nurse. She graduated from Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI with top honors in 1972. She was a nurse at Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Neenah, WI until she and her children moved to San Diego, CA. She began working at the Veteran's Administrative Hospital in La Jolla, CA in November of 1979 and she retired in July of 2002. She had loved nursing so much she began working part time at Redwood Town Court, Escondido, from 2005 until 2012. After leaving Redwood, she began private nursing, assisting a friend with his mother in their home. After nursing life, her final job was working part-time for Club Demonstration Services at Costco, San Marcos, CA. She felt very close to this team and loved interacting with customers and serving samples always with a smile.

Joan was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Escondido, CA and of Resurrection Catholic Church, Escondido, CA. Joan loved animals, especially her dog, Pebbles. She loved spirituality and nature, being near the ocean and she loved music, especially opera. She had season tickets for many years with the San Diego Opera. Her passions included making jewelry, playing piano, writing, painting, reading, cooking, gardening, prayer, and meditation. Joan was loved by so many family members and friends, and she was especially known for her  nonjudgmental and gentle spirit. She was compassionate and a very good listener.

She was a kind and caring mother of three children, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She is survived by her children daughter, Lori (Anthony) Bushem, son, Steven Parker and daughter, Lisa (Robert) Bencivenga all of Escondido, CA. Her grandchildren include grandson Jesse Parker of Escondido, CA, grandson Taylor Bushem (Pauline Pizzo) of Idaho, grandson Cody Parker of Washington,
granddaughter Talia Bencivenga of Oceanside, CA, and grandson Vincent Bencivenga of Escondido CA. And her two great grandsons, Winston, and Austen Bushem of Idaho.

Joan was the eldest in her family, she is survived by her three brothers, Jack (Barbara) Hammill of Fort Meyers, Florida and their son, Gregg (Connie) Hammill and their children, Ashley, Samuel, Molly, Rylan and Declan and Jack and Barbara's daughter, Cindy (George) Jackson of Indiana and their children Alec and Hannah Jackson. Her brother, James Hammill, and her brother Michael (Carol) Hammill and their
daughter, Alisha Hammill Johannsen of Colorado and their son, Zak (Natasha) Hammill of Alaska.

She had three sisters, Susan Thomsen of Chicago, Illinois and her daughter, Greta (Michael) Madigan, and their children, son Jake Madigan and daughter Grace Madigan of Chicago, IL. Susan's son, Christopher Gonzalez of Illinois. Sister, Kathy (Michael) Egan of Gillett, Wisconsin with their children, daughter Cybelle Egan (Rob Elrath) and their daughter, Eleanor of Tucson, Arizona. And their daughter Tara Egan of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Her Sister, Mary Host of Racine Wisconsin, and son Andrew (Amanda) Host with children, Tony and Analise and Mary's daughter, Sarah Host all of Racine, Wisconsin.

Joan was preceded in death by her sister, Patricia Hammill, father, John Hammill, her mother, Anita Hammill, brother-in-law, Tony Host, brother-in-law Finn Thomsen, brother-in-law Hector Gonzalez and niece, Aimmie Hammill. Her funeral service will be at the Old Mission San Luis Rey Cemetery, Oceanside, CA on August 11, 2023, at 1:30PM.