Joanne Galbraith

Still playing her cards close to her chest and looking for the word for 7-down, Joanne Galbraith passed peacefully on Friday, December 23, 2016 with her intellect and humor intact, but body spent. Her life began March 11, 1931 in Long Beach, California as the daughter of Leland and Catherine Brack. She completed elementary school in Butte, Montana and attended junior high and the first years of high school in Coeur 'd Alene, Idaho. Following her Father's goal she obtain an elite woman's education, Joanne graduated from Annie Wright Seminary in Tacoma, Washington in 1948, but drew the line at attending an eastern women's college, thank-you very much, finishing her matriculation at Pomona College in Claremont, California in 1952 with a degree in bacteriology. Her medical technology training was at Wayne County Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.

Joanne married Graeme C. Galbraith on January 23, 1953 in Coeur d' Alene. She worked as a medical technologist in Las Cruces, New Mexico while Graeme served his military posting at White Sands Proving Grounds. Joanne started her second career as a domestic engineer after son Allan was born in February, 1955. Son James was born February 1957 in Seattle, Washington while Graeme worked for Boeing. The family moved to Idaho Falls in May, 1957, where Graeme was an engineer at the Naval Reactor Facility at "The Site". Joanne returned to her medical technology career in 1967 at Sacred Heart Hospital, becoming the director of the laboratory, then the combined labs of Sacred Heart and the LDS hospital. She then opened and directed the laboratory at what is now the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center when it was in the middle of potato fields and Sunnyside Road was two lanes with no stop signs. Joanne retired in 1989.

Joanne was active in PEO (presiding officer of all 5 chapters); Eastern Star (twice Worthy Matron of Henrietta Chapter No. 21, and Grand Organist of the Grand Chapter of Idaho); and her church: first St. John's Episcopal, where she was the organist, then St. Mark's, and St. Luke's after St. John's and St. Mark's merged. She represented the Diocese of Idaho several times at the national Episcopal General Convention. Joanne co-founded The Soup Kitchen in 1985, starting with a hot plate and coffee pot in the St. Mark's basement, making three sandwiches. It now serves over 55,000 meals a year. A voracious reader, it was not unusual for Joanne to check several library books and finish one or two the first day. The Post-Register crossword was completed every day until her passing. Graeme boasts that Joanne taught herself to be an excellent cook, starting with boiling hot water in a pot on a stove, rather than with a beaker.

Graeme and Joanne traveled extensively, pulling their 5th wheel across, up, down and around the United States, Canada and Mexico. They explored 5 other continents and several Wonders of the World by safari, liner and coach. Joanne's last cross-country trip was to attend her grandson's graduation from Dartmouth Medical School. Not a born athlete, Joanne gamely whacked at a golf ball and traveled many snow-machine miles in eastern Idaho, northwest Wyoming and western Montana.

Joanne leaves Graeme, her husband of nearly 63 years; brother Lee Brack, of Coeur d' Alene; sons Allan (Lorena Boyd) an attorney in Wenatchee, WA, and James, a software engineer in Idaho Falls. JoJo's grandchildren include Dr. Aaron Galbraith, Denver; Lisa Heneghen, a Registered Dietician, Denver; Kole Galbraith, a committed bohemian, Seattle; and Catherine (IFHS) and Caroline Galbraith (Taylor MS), Idaho Falls.

A service of remembrance will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church (270 N. Placer Ave.), on Saturday, December 31 at 1 pm, followed by a hearty reception hosted by the PEO, Eastern Star and St. Luke's. Interment will be private.

Donations may be made in Joanne's honor to The Soup Kitchen, 301 South Boulevard, Idaho Falls 83401.

Memorial Services will be held