Joan Mary (Hollerback) Kleinstiver

Joan Kleinstiver’s spirit slipped the bonds of earth on Dec 15th, 2020 unexpectedly after complications from cardiac surgery. She was surrounded by her loving husband Benjamin Kleinstiver and devoted daughters Ashley O’Reilly and Lisa Sheahan Kleinstiver.

Joan was the daughter of Ambrose and Josephine (Muzyka) Hollerback. She was born in Flint, Michigan in 1938. She graduated from Bay City Central High School in 1956 and attended Bay City Junior College for a year before transferring to the University of Michigan where she graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in nursing specializing in Public Health in 1960. She was a member of Chi Omega sorority Eta chapter. She worked on the Pediatric Surgery ward at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor. 

Joan married Benjamin Kleinstiver October 22, 1960 in Bay City Michigan. 

She was a Girl Scout leader and president of the Petoskey area Garden Club. Joan served two terms as Trustee of North Central Michigan College and was a founding member of North Central Michigan College Foundation and served as a Director of the Foundation since its inception. She enjoyed the nomenclature of wild flowering plants and took courses at the University of Michigan Biological Station on Douglas Lake. She also enjoyed skiing in Europe, travel, and watercolor painting in her studio on Douglas Lake and with the Walloon Lake Art Club. 

Joan did home health nursing with District 3 health department and was Director of Health Services at the Friendship Center of Emmet County retiring in 1995.

She is survived by her loving grandchildren Libby, Mary and Billy Sheahan of Detroit, Macomb, and Cincinnati and Joanna and Ciara O’Reilly of New York City and Zurich Switzerland, two great grandchildren, Leo and Joseph Freeman, sister Janet Zayac of Bay City and many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins along with her cherished friends. Brothers A. Joseph “Duke” Hollerback and James Hollerback and brother-in-law Joe Zayac preceded her in death.

Joan believed in education, self reliance and community commitment. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Student Scholarship Fund for Nursing at North Central Michigan College.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service for Joan at the Cross in the Woods Parish in Indian River, MI on Monday, June 7, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Following the service, immediate family will gather for a private interment service in southeastern Michigan at 2:00 p.m. at St.  Michael Cemetery, New Lothrop, Michigan (Maple Grove) where she will rest with her family.