Obituary

Joanne K. Gelin
(February 14, 1949 - November 12, 2017)

JOANNE KARNES GELIN, 68, of Huntington, passed away on November 12, 2017. She was born in Richmond, Va., to Martin and Josephine Karnes. Her husband of 36 years, Ed Gelin, survives. Also surviving are her son, Patrick Burns, daughter-in-law Jyll Jacoby-Burns and grandson, Jackson Burns of Wilmington, N.C., as well as her daughter, Jessica Gelin Grisez and son-in-law Casey Grisez of Columbus, Ohio. Joanne was a long-time resident of Huntington. After many years as a self-employed artist and one-of-a-kind doll-maker, she enjoyed a second career as art teacher at Village of Barboursville Elementary School. Dedicated teacher, wife, mother and grandmother, Joanne loved reading, her dogs, her family, and sharing her love of art and culture. Those who knew Joanne know that she found something “wonderful” in every person and experience. She wanted to make lasting memories, so she put a lot of energy into everything, formal or informal. She was a person who rarely sat still, always involved in some project or another - even when she probably should have been resting. She was a force to be reckoned with. Visitation will be at 11:30 a.m., followed by funeral ceremony at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 15, 2017, at Klingel-Carpenter Mortuary by Rabbis Jean Eglington and David Wucher. The burial will follow at Spring Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to B’Nai Sholom Congregation, Huntington, WV or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, tribute ID 11110317. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff at St. Mary’s Regional Cancer Center and to Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House for their compassionate support in her final days, and of course, Joanne’s closest “family of friends.”