Joan Sandra Cover Obituary (1941 - 2026)

Joan Sandra (Wagoner) Cover, youngest child of Alva & Virginia (Patrick) Wagoner, was born March 15, 1941, in Lafayette, Indiana, and grew to adulthood on the family farm near Mulberry, Indiana. Joan was thankful to be raised in a Godly home and recognized early in life the importance of confessing Christ as her Savior. She was baptized on July 27, 1958, becoming a member of the Old German Baptist Brethren Church Middle Fork District. After graduation from Mulberry High School she worked a variety of jobs including clerking at Purdue University. Joan enjoyed traveling with a special highlight being a trip to California with a few of her friends. She soon developed a long distance relationship with Raymond Earl Cover of Modesto, California. On the snowy evening of February 15, 1964, they were joined in Christian marriage. Marriage brought Joan from Indiana to California where she became part of the Modesto District. To this home, were born three sons and one daughter. They became charter parents in the formation of Brethren Heritage School. Joan was often found volunteering as an aid in the classroom exercising her gift of teaching. As her children starting reaching maturity, Joan drew on her prior work experience as she helped her sons with office work first helping Jacob at B&B Trucking and Harvesting then later helping David at Rumble Spray-California. After forty-one years of married life in Modesto, Raymond and Joan felt called to move to the young congregation of Zillah, Washington. Life in Zillah brought new experiences as they moved from among the middle aged in a large congregation to the oldest members of a small congregation. Here they continued their practice of offering hospitality to family and friends from near and far. On September 29, 2014, after fifty years of marriage, Joan faced a life-altering transition when she suffered a massive stroke resulting in her left side being paralyzed. In one moment she went from being an active servant to one being served. With her servant heart, Joan gracefully bore this transition by resting in the fact that our God makes no mistakes. After a hospital stay and several months of rehabilitation, Joan was able to return to her home in Zillah where Raymond lovingly cared for her until his sudden passing on October 31, 2016. Following Raymond’s passing, Joan continued in her own home with the help of various caregivers until the spring of 2019 when she moved to Jacob & Renie’s and lived there until her death. Joan spent these last years seeking to stay busy with tasks that she could do from a wheelchair. These activities included continuing to be a grader for Gospel Echoes and sending many cards and text messages to encourage others. Joan’s physical limitations became more apparent following subsequent strokes in 2019 and 2023. Recognizing her declining health, she entered Hospice care in December of 2024. She experienced the comfort of the Anointing Service several times with the last time being the day before her passing. Joan passed from this life into the presence of our Savior in the early morning hours of January 30, 2026, at the age of 84 years, 10 months, and 15 days. She was a member of the Zillah District of the Old German Baptist Brethren Church – New Conference at the time of her passing. Her faith was not loud, it was lived. In addition to her husband, Joan was preceded in death by her parents; father-in-Law and mother-in-Law, Earl & Lois (Rumble) Cover; sister and brother-in-law, Ruby & Ralph Jenkins; brother, Harris Wagoner; Raymond’s sisters and their husbands, Ruth & Sam Yost and Cora June & Lowell Eller. Left to mourn her passing are her 4 children, Jacob & Irene (Renie) Cover, David & Beth Cover, Jonathan & Chris Cover, and Rachel & Martin Holsinger; 8 grandchildren, Aaron Cover, Dinah (Holsinger) & Leon Baumgartner, John Cover, Titus Holsinger, Sarah Cover, Andrew Holsinger, Stephen Cover, and Austin Holsinger; 1 great-grandson, Benjamin Baumgartner; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Psalm 17:15) Visitation is planned for Friday, February 6, 2026, from 6:00-8:00PM and the Funeral Service will be on Saturday, February 7, at 10:30AM, followed by a Graveside Service, all at the Old German Baptist Brethren Church- New Conference, (203 W. Centennial Drive, Zillah, WA 98953). Brookside Funeral Home is caring for the family. Online condolences may be left at www.brooksidefuneral.com.