Joanne Margaret Drumheller

Green Lake, ice skates, accordions, children, a fierce love of Seattle and Walla Walla’s Whitman College were all integral to Joanne Ross Drumheller, who died peacefully in her sleep, January 18, 2017.

Joanne was born in Seattle, February 1930, to Jay and Jo Ross, childhood sweethearts who left Dillon, Montana, for the adventures of the city. Joanne had an idyllic childhood growing up near Green Lake, with her beloved sister Donna. Together they rode buses downtown, golfed, skied, walked the beaches and celebrated being Rough Riders at Roosevelt High School. Joanne always shared a bedroom with her sister, because her parents made room for whatever older family member needed a place to stay. While a little girl Joanne embraced figure skating and the accordion. At age eight she played her accordion on the radio from Seattle’s historic Smith Tower.

Her five children grew up dancing and humming along to Rachmaninov, Chopin, and show tunes as their mom’s fingers flew over the black and white keys. At 18, Joanne joined her sister at Whitman College, pledged Delta Gamma and fell in love with John Drumheller. Married in Seattle at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, they settled in Walla Walla to raise their five children. Joanne embraced small town life joining St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Junior Club, and Coffee Club. Devoted to Delta Gamma, she continued to support their charity work with the blind and also hosted many dinners for new pledges. Years later Joanne returned to Whitman, to finish her degree and devoted 25 years to public education, teaching at Edison Elementary. Her homemade cookies, cakes and rolls were legendary and often found their way into the classroom.

Joanne’s idea of a perfect vacation was her five children and her sister’s seven children together in one house, whether Walla Walla, Seattle or Long Beach. She also embraced the large Drumheller family and the Drumheller Company. Still Joanne’s love for the coast was never far from her mind. Because of this devotion, her five children felt like they had two homes--Walla Walla and Seattle.

Joanne was preceded in death by husband, John; parents, Jay and Jo; and Aunt Henrietta. She is survived by her sister, Donna; her children, Laura (John), Tom (Christy), Lisa (Robert), Dan and Nat; eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service and celebration of life following will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Walla Walla, March 11 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the American Diabetes Association through Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla.