JENNIE JOAN GILSDORF
July 10, 1931 — December 20, 2020
Our hearts are sad as we announce the passing of Jennie Joan (Hyde) Gilsdorf on December 20, 2020.
Born and raised in Grand Island, Nebraska, Joan attended local schools graduating from Grand Island Senior High School. She then followed in her big sister Dorothea’s footsteps attending The Mary Lanning Memorial School of Nursing in Hastings, Nebraska, receiving her diploma in 1954. She was a licensed RN in Nebraska and California and her career spanned over 50 years.
Joan met the love of her life, LeRoy Gilsdorf, on a blind date in Hastings, Nebraska and they married in 1955. They welcomed a baby girl, Jane Marie, and soon followed LeRoy’s job opportunity moving to Merced, California. Upon their arrival, Joan became aware of a nursing opportunity and immediately began working for Doctor Robert Schiffler in his medical practice with Doctor Patrick J. Maloney. A few years later they welcomed another baby girl, Gail Anne. Joan continued her nursing career with their practice as it expanded, finishing her career in Hematology for Doctor HuiYen Chang at the age of 75. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and a woman of faith. Joan and LeRoy belonged to St. Patrick’s Parish and Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Merced. They made lifelong friends in
Merced where they lived for 60 years. Their earthly love story ended in 2019 when LeRoy passed away after 63 years of marriage but continues now in Heaven.
Joan loved traveling with LeRoy visiting many places throughout the United States and Northern Europe. The family enjoyed spending time at Wawona, CA during the Christmas and New Year’s Holiday and at Santa Cruz during the summer. In their retirement years, Joan and LeRoy enjoyed annual visits to Palm Springs with family and spending time in San Francisco as members of The Club Donatello. Joan loved the snow covered mountains, the warmth of the desert, the beauty of the California coast and the beautiful city of San Francisco.
Joan is preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy; her parents, Henry and Alice (Brown) Hyde; her siblings Harvey, Dorothea, Gerald, Roland, Garrison (Dale) and Dennis. She is survived by her daughters Jane (Sal) Lopez and Gail Basham (Fred Selzer); her grandchildren Sarah Basham and Justin Basham; her sister, Karen (Larry) Fagan; her brotherin-law Eugene Gilsdorf and wife Betty, and many cousins, nieces and nephews all of whom she loved very much.
The family wishes to thank the staff and caregivers at The Commons on Thornton Senior living where Joan and LeRoy resided since 2017; the doctors and nurses at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital who took excellent care of Joan in her final days and Hospice of San Joaquin.
Services will be held on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:00PM at Collins Family Funeral Home, 123 N. School Street, Lodi. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Mary Lanning Healthcare Foundation, PO Box 2063, Hastings, NE 68902-2063 in the name of Jennie Joan (Hyde) Gilsdorf or to a charity of your choice.
Please sign the guest book at lodinews.com/ guestbook.