Joanie Brusseau

On February 15, 2023, Joanie Brusseau, 62, breathed her last and snuggled into the lap of her Heavenly Father. His strong and gentle arms envelop her. Joanie’s life is marked by her faith, her thirst for God’s Word, and her compassion for children. A Homegoing Celebration will be held Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Hope Evangelical Free Church in Storm Lake. Pastor Arthur Jackson and Pastor James Roland will be officiating. To watch the livestream of the service, use following link: https://www.facebook.com/hopeefreechurch or search Facebook Hope Evangelical Free Church of Storm Lake. The service will be live-streamed at 11:00 a.m. CST. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake are in charge of arrangements. Jean Denise (Joanie) was born on June 21, 1960, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Gilbert and Alice Brusseau and became the youngest sister to Mary Ellen, Karen and Michelle. At a young age, her family moved to Glen Ellyn, Illinois. After many challenging years, Joanie was re-born on September 10, 2000, at 5:07 pm when she discovered the love of her Heavenly Father and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour. Having experienced brokenness through childhood trauma, Joanie was a strong advocate for both mental health and spiritual health. Looking back on her life, Joanie could see the hand of God over her, and His fingerprints in the finest details of her life. In her darkest moments, her dog, Azia, never left her side. Later, a well-timed phone call brought her from the brink of death by suicide, to a bus where she would finally comprehend the love of her heavenly Father and accept Jesus as Lord of her life. It was then, that God took her out of SRO housing and brought her to Judson Church. Her testimony is one of redemption and restoration, and the power of Jesus Christ to dramatically change lives. Joanie flourished in her new life, joined Judson Baptist Church, and became interested in missions after travelling to the Pan African Christian Exchange (PACE) in Nyahururu, Kenya. Encouraged by her church family at Judson, in 2006 Joanie graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in Education (summa cum laude). After graduating, she returned to her beloved Kenya. Her years in Nyahururu were some of the best times of her life. Her family group grew with the addition of the James Roland family, the Wachira Ngamau family and the Irungu Gichinga family. All of the mission school students became her children. Movie nights and the children’s Sunday worship services gave her great joy. Working with the kids at PACE filled Joanie’s heart to over-flowing. Apparently, it became too full, and her heart cracked. Joanie suffered multiple heart attacks over the next few years, causing her to travel back and forth between Chicago and Kenya until her final return to America in 2013, following medical advice. Though her legacy in Nyahururu could be wrapped up in the many projects that she worked on, including Shoes for School, a milk project and the Kenya Get Well water project, her greatest legacy will be found in the lives of the children at PACE. In 2021, Joanie participated with Kathy Isaac who wrote the book, Don’t Tell: Finding Home After Family Betrayal which chronicles her faith story. On her return to America, Joanie lived and worked in Chicago, and later moved to Storm Lake, Iowa to be close to the Rolands, who had welcomed her into their family. There, she worshipped at Hope Evangelical Free Church and served on the board of The Bridge of Storm Lake. Once more, she was surrounded by children, and her family grew yet again. Joanie was resilient, and with God’s Word at her side, she overcame mental illness. She persevered through the effects of diabetes, which eventually weakened her heart and kidneys. There is so much gratitude among Joanie’s friends and family to Jo Beth Lee (Roland) for the blessing of the kidney that would give Joanie an additional ten months of life. Joanie fought hard to live and lived to serve Jesus. On one trip to the hospital, Joanie was determined to find out who didn’t yet know Jesus, because He kept sending her back there, and she didn’t want to have to go back again. She always knew that Jesus had a purpose for her wherever she was, and now her purpose is to forever praise Jesus. We will all remember the boisterous Joanie, whose hearty laugh would fill a large room. By now, no doubt, all heaven knows she has arrived, and she has been welcomed by the great cloud of witnesses who she joins in worship. A precious few will remember the quieted Joanie, who, as evening drew near, would pensively reflect on the day and ponder the ways of the Lord. She will be missed by many friends, and those who considered her family, especially James, Heidi, Maria, Sophia, Peter and William Roland, Ruth and Bob, Faith, Lydia, Isaac and Matthew Whitmore, Toni Horras and family, Janie (Ma-J) Yarbrough, Kajaria Yarbrough, Irungu Gichinga, Rahab Njoki (Mamma Simon), Simon, James, Brian, and JoanGrace Gichinga, Wachira and Glenda Ngamau and family, Gary and Kathy Isaac, and all mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and many children who God blessed her with, and whose lives she touched. Joanie leaves behind a son, Brian. She was preceded in death by an unborn daughter, and a trusted companion, her dog Azia.

Joanie Brusseau

June 21, 1960 - February 15, 2023