Joanne Harriett Battles

Joanne Harriette was born to George Carl Huse and Melvina Mae (Winchester) on Dec 6, 1938 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, located on the western shore of Lake Winnebago. She was the 5th child of Melvina Mae, preceded by stepsisters Donna Clara (Webb, b. 1929) and Bettie Mae (Webb, b. 1931), brother Clarence Oliver (b. 1936), and sister Nancy Marie (b. 1937). She later gained another brother, Gordon Lee, who was born in 1952. Melvina Mae continued to live in Oshkosh throughout her life and her children all grew up there until their adult lives carried them to other places.

Joanne’s sister, Nancy, started listening to Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong on his radio broadcast when she was in high school. This eventually led to Joanne and her brother, Clarence, going to Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, in the fall of 1957. It was there that she met her husband, Cecil Irwin Battles. They married on August 9, 1959. Cecil had graduated from Ambassador College in the spring of 1958 and was ordained into the ministry so they soon moved to Corpus Christi, Texas.

While living in Corpus Christi, their first child, Laura Beth, was born in October 1960 while they were visiting in Gladewater, Texas with Cecil’s older sister, Beverly, and her family. Cecil and Joanne later moved to Dallas, Texas where their next two children were born – Gretta Anne in July 1963, and Jon Byron in December 1964. Cecil Battles served the Dallas/Fort Worth area as a minister in the Worldwide Church of God for 7 years before being transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was there that daughters Brenda Lorraine and Gina Marie were born... in February 1967 and October 1968. Daughter, Laura, was their only child born in a hospital. The rest were all born naturally at home. Joanne was into natural foods and health practices, and she was known for her extremely easy childbirths with labor that lasted only a very short time.

They then were transferred (as was common in the ministry back then) for a short six-month period to Pasadena, California where they lived in Altadena before moving to New Orleans, Louisiana. It was in New Orleans that their final child, Branden Douglas, was born in December 1971. Joanne was busy packing again just before the birth... as just a couple weeks later they left for Springfield, Missouri. The Battles family moved 2 more times – back to Pasadena, California in the summer of 1972… and then to the Medford, Oregon area in June of 1973 where they finally settled down and stayed in Grants Pass.

Joanne had a lot of resilience moving so many times with her husband and 6 children. Moving was a common occurrence in those early years. However, she and Cecil enjoyed sightseeing and took time on those many moves to stop and see all of the historical sights and national parks along the way.

In fact, when moving from Springfield, Missouri to Pasadena, California in the summer of 1972, they spent a month on the road... going all the way to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to visit mom’s mother,... across to Yellowstone National Park,... and down to the Grand Canyon among other places,... all with six kids and their German Shepherd, Ginger, and her six puppies in just a station wagon!

Joanne very much enjoyed gardening and other outdoor activities, including hiking, hunting, and fishing. She also loved animals and usually had a dog or two along with chickens, ducks, geese, peacocks, turtles, rabbits, outdoor and indoor fish, and later cats at various times.

When gardening and chicken pen building, she added her artistic touch as she also enjoyed drawing, painting, and other crafts. She took some art lessons when she was first married and had several art books that she self-taught herself from. She did charcoal drawings, oil paintings, watercolors, and enjoyed sewing. She made a lot of clothes for her daughters in those early years, and taught them how to sew, cook, and can produce often obtained from her own garden.

She showed her creativity throughout her years by also building toy trains and cars out of large cardboard boxes for her kids to play in. Since she could draw well, she drew wheels and controls equipped with wooden knobs and steering wheels! She also loved creating games and hosting parties for the children in the church to enjoy along with her kids... even as far back as Dallas, Texas. These parties always had prizes she dished out in fun ways... like drawing fish on paper plates and then stapling them together with prizes inside and putting them on a string connected to bamboo poles. She even performed in church talent shows with her children and later learned to play the piano. With the help of her oldest daughter, she later wrote 30 of the 48 songs they used regularly for Church Services in the later years.

Joanne was quite talented and resourceful and strong, mentally and physically and spiritually,... and helped instill these traits in her children. But with all the physical talents, the things she strived for most was to learn of God’s ways and plans for mankind! She spent untold hours in service to God, studying the bible, typing sermons, and researching various pertinent and historical topics. She put these things first and foremost in her life.

Joanne, affectionately called, JoMama ‘Jo’, died unexpectedly in her home on Sunday, March 23, 2025... at the age of 86. She is survived by all 6 of her children and their extended families, which includes 12 grandchildren – Raquel, Falon, Daniel, Brittany, Ian, Brayden, Ally, Colby, Cade, Tyler, Madison, and Brea – and 7 greatgrandchildren. She was loved greatly and will be missed very much!