Joan Grigg

Joan Willis Grigg

October 31, 1943– December 17, 2024

Joan Marie (Willis) Grigg, age 81, of San Antonio, Texas, passed away peacefully on December 17, 2024. Joan was born on October 31, 1943, in Winnfield, Louisiana, to the marriage of Tommie L. Stewart and Leonard J. Willis.

She is survived by her loving husband, Ausie B. Grigg, Jr.; daughters, Barbara Leader and Theresa Spencer (Steven); grandchildren, Christopher Leader (Megan), Alyssa Leader (Chris Masterson), and Zachary Spencer; her sister, Junita Rhymes; brother, Charles Willis (Diane); and sister-in-law, Donna Willis. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, her in-laws, her grandson, Luke Spencer, her brother, Leonard J. Willis, Jr., her son-in-law, Greg Leader, and her brother-in-law, Leonard Rhymes.

Joan was a multi-talented individual with a personality that drew people to her. She was a natural hostess and enjoyed entertaining family and friends in her home. She had a knack for working with children and youth and loved to host them at home, work with them in church, and take them on church and school sponsored trips or other fun/educational activities. She was known for her devotion to her family.

After their marriage in 1961, Joan and Ausie B. made their home at Hebert and raised their family there. They moved to the Washington, DC area for jobs with the Federal government in 1989. They lived in Silver Spring, MD for five years and moved to Arlington, VA in 1994 where they lived until moving to the Army Residence Community (a Life Plan Community) in San Antonio, TX in August of 2022.

Joan was a member of the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee, church treasurer and member of the Board of Stewards of the Hebert United Methodist Church. She served as Worthy Matron and held other offices in the Columbia Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and was a member of the Dixie Chapter #179, OES.

Joan served as district chairman and Caldwell Parish chairman of the Farm Bureau Women’s Organization and was active in the Riverfield High School parents club in multiple offices and on many committees as well as sponsoring extracurricular activities.

She also served as a sponsor of the Caldwell Parish United Methodist youth group and Caldwell Parish 4-H Leadership Club where she received statewide recognition for her leadership.

Until moving to San Antonio, Joan was an active member of Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia where she served as a Deacon, and in the Zeiher Sunday School Class.

She continued her education as an adult learner and received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree Summa Cum Laude from Averett College, Danville, Virginia.

Over the years while living in Louisiana, she worked as the partner and business manager of a farm and related trucking business that the family owned; as a dealer/manager for Lucy Ann Sales; as the owner/manager of a retail plant nursery, and as a professional seamstress making clothes for any occasion.

As a federal employee, she worked for the National Science Foundation, the Resolution Trust Corporation, and retired as a management analyst with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Joan was a dedicated and caring wife, mother, and grandmother, whose love for her family was evident in everything she did. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. on January 17, 2025 in the chapel of the Army Residence Community in San Antonio where Joan lived. Her ashes will be interred at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, December 13, 2025, in her family burial plot in the Hebert United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Hebert United Methodist Church.