Joan J. Krenz

Joan Janet Krenz, 89, formally of Sioux City, Iowa died May 3 in Bethlehem, PA. Joan was born on February 25, 1929 to Harold and Dorothy Utley on their Northeastern Iowa farm roughly a mile outside New Hampton, Iowa. Joan grew up on the farm, never had a bicycle, but did have her horse Trixie. Upon graduating high school, Joan attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Upon graduating from Drake, Joan took a high school teaching position in Davenport, Iowa. Here she met her future husband and lifelong partner, Dean Krenz (a University of Minnesota journalism graduate and Korean War veteran). After roughly a year, Joan and Dean were married in New Hampton, enjoyed a quick honeymoon in the Twin Cities, and then ventured off to Kalispell, Montana where Dean took the position of editor of the regions weekly newspaper.

In September of 1957, Joan gave birth to Joan and Deans only child, Keith. As was customary at the time, climbing the journalism ladder meant frequent relocations. Therefore, from Kalispell, Joan, Dean and Keith moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon; Oregon City, Oregon; Boothwyn, Pennsylvania; Yardley, Pennsylvania; and finally settling down in Sioux City, Iowa in 1975.

While Keith went to engineering school back east, met his sweetheart (Lyn), married Lyn and started their own family, Joan and Dean embraced Sioux City. With Dean as publisher of the Sioux City Journal, the couple became active within the community during their thirty-nine years in Sioux City. Once grandchildren came along, Joan and Dean would host the Pennsylvania Krenz contingent for two weeks every summer at Lake Okoboji, Iowa and spend Christmas with them in Pennsylvania. Upon Deans retirement, Joan and Dean traveled extensively, primarily in Europe, became Arizona “snowbirds”, and continued to enjoy time with their three grandchildren Lauren, Kate and Doug that included Laurens wedding and Kates wedding.

Joan Krenz is survived by her son Keith and daughter-in-law Lyn (Bethlehem, PA); grandchildren Lauren Bartell and her husband William (San Antonio, TX), Kate Riel and her husband Jason (Bellingham, Mass.), Douglas Dean Krenz (Philadelphia, PA); and great grandson Dean William Bartell (San Antonio, TX).

All services will be held privately. Please offer condolences at connellfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Regina Academy at St. John the Baptist (4040 Durham Rd., Ottsville, PA 18942) in the name of the Krenz Family Scholarship Fund.

Funeral HomeConnell Funeral Home, Inc.
245 East Broad St.
Bethlehem PA - 18018
US
610-868-8531