Joan Dvorak

Joan Ord Dvorak passed from this world on July 11, 2024 at her home in Haxtun at the age of 75.

Joan was the third of five children born to Robert and Marie Ord on March 8, 1949 in Denver. She went to Kindergarten at Park Hill School and first grade at Blessed Sacrament grade school. In 1956 the family gave up city life for mountain living in Evergreen, where she continued grade school and graduated from Evergreen High School in 1967. Their house was a mile from the town of Evergreen and about a half mile from Evergreen Lake, both frequented on foot. During the winter months they enjoyed skating on Evergreen Lake.

Joan's parents were vey frugal, having lived through the Depression years. They passed on their values and thrift to their children who all developed strong work ethics at an early age, learning how to save their money, going into a college fund. When Joan was 14 years-old she started working at Vollmer's Bakery in Denver, commuting with her father to Denver on Saturdays and on school holiday and summer breaks. The bakery became her second home working in the pastry department. She worked there for 10 years with her earnings going to pay for college, with many of those years working with both of her sisters, Susan and Mary.

After graduation from high school, Joan attended Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado). She received her degree in Home Economics Education and a minor in business. She earned a Master's degree in Visually Handicapped K-12 in 1973. Upon graduation she began working for the State of Colorado Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, working as a rehabilitation teacher for blind adults ages 18 and up for five years, teaching these individuals adaptive skills for everyday living, helping them live independently in their own homes. In 1977 she worked as a field teacher for 15 years with the elderly blind population in their homes. In 1987 she was honored as "Teacher of the Year Who Makes a Difference" by Channel 4 News and the Rocky Mountain News.

Joan married Chuck Dvorak in 1985, moving to Elbert, where Chuck was Superintendent of the Elbert School. During this time Joan made the round trip to Denver to her job. In 1988, their daughter Jennifer was born. In 1993 Chuck accepted a superintendent job in Lignite, N. D., several miles from the Canadian border.

The family moved to Haxtun in 1996, where they would eventually retire. While in Haxtun Joan worked for the BOCES rural education team as a vision teacher. She retired from education in 2000 at age 51, after 25 years of teaching for the State of Colorado. Retirement opened a wonderful opportunity for Joan as she took up quilting with friends from high school, joining them in Longmont once a month for lunch and an afternoon of quilting. Joan became an expert quilter, with one of her quilts displayed in the Colorado State Capitol Quilt Show.

The happiest years of her married life were those in Haxtun, living there for the past 28 years. Many friends were established over her lifetime including old school and career friends, as well as her Haxtun friends in the Polka group, Church family, Bible study group, exercise group, bridge partners and all the women she quilted with over the years. She cherished their friendship and times with them and her adoptive family of Dave and Iris Clark and their son Thomas. Joan will be remembered for the valued friendship she gave to others, being a part of their lives, giving a helping hand to many. A special love of her life was being with her daughter, Jennifer and her grandchildren.

Joan is survived by her husband Chuck; daughter Jennifer and husband Josh Bierman; grandchildren Kenna, Gidian and Killian; step-grandson Parker; siblings: Susan and husband David Stern, David and wife Jeannie Ord, John and wife Mona Ord and Mary and husband Ken Moore.

She is preceded in death by her parents Robert and Marie Ord and niece Regina (Scott) Kline.

Her family is grateful for the wonderful, loving caregivers from the Hospice of the Plains, who eased her journey to the end. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations may be made in her memory to Hospice of the Plains, 302 N. 9th Ave, Sterling CO 80751, https://www.hospiceoftheplains.org.