Joan Patricia McCallum

Joan Patricia McCallum

Hawkeye

Joan Patricia McCallum, 88, of Hawkeye, passed away on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Nation Cottage, Western Home Communities, in Cedar Falls.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 AM on Friday, August 1, 2025, at the United Methodist Church in Hawkeye. Interment followed at Bethel Cemetery, rural Hawkeye. Visitation was held from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Becker & Son Funeral Home in Hawkeye, and for one hour preceding the service at the church on Friday. Memorials may be made to the family for later designation.

Joan Patricia, daughter of Theodore "Ted" and Dorothy (Martin) Latham, was born on March 17, 1937, at the family home in rural Alpha. She graduated valedictorian from Alpha Consolidated School in May 1955 and continued her education at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, where she graduated Suma Cum Laude in English. While at Upper Iowa, Joan met Curtis McCallum, and the two were united in marriage on May 29, 1958, at the Little Brown Church near Nashua.

Joan began her teaching career in Garnavillo, followed by positions in Fayette, Blairstown, and Center Point Schools. She later earned a Master’s in Library Science from the University of Iowa and started at Benton Community Schools in Van Horne, Iowa, in 1966, where she served as librarian until her retirement in 1995.

Joan, Curtis and their family lived for many years in Van Horne, where they became well established in the community. She served as president of the Van Horne Public Library Board, helping to bring a modern library to the town. She also served as President of the Van Horne Methodist Church’s Dorcas Circle and sang in the church choir. She encouraged her daughter's love of music, writing, and theater, which remained a lifelong gift.

After retiring, Joan and Curtis traveled extensively, spending most of their time in the Southwest, particularly Apache Junction, Arizona. They were active members of SKPs, a community of RV travelers. In 2004, they purchased a home in Hawkeye but continued to travel frequently. Joan was a member of the United Methodist Church in Hawkeye and the Hawkeye Garden Club. She was an avid gardener, an excellent cook and baker (famous for her grape pies), and a talented and creative artist who painted, crocheted, knitted and made handmade cards.

Joan is survived by her children, Curt (Laurie) McCallum of Cedar Falls and Zhen Elizabeth “Zhen E” (Robert) Rammelsberg of Marion; her grandchildren, Nik McCallum of Waterloo and Jordan (Skyler Kontio) Rammelsberg of Madison, Wisconsin; and great-grandchildren, Draven and Saphira McCallum, and Jasmine Nari and Soren Eujin Rammelsberg.

She is also survived by her sister, Susanne Moser of Cedar Rapids; brothers-in-law, James (Linda) McCallum of Marion and Calvin (Sandy) McCallum of Rockford, Illinois; and her sister-in-law, Charlotte Tennis of Montgomery, Texas; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis McCallum; her parents; her sister and brother-in-law, Charlotte (Maynard) Klemp; and her brother-in-law, Clete Moser.