Joan Ann Kluge Compton was born August 25,1940, in Belleville, Illinois. She departed this life peacefully on March 25, 2021, in Centerton, Arkansas. Joan grew up in Belleville, Illinois, with her parents, Irvin and Rosella, and brother, William "Bill" Kluge. On May 16,1959, she and Herman Compton were married. They made their home in Collinsville, Illinois, where they raised their three daughters. Herman and Joan enjoyed 54 years of a loving, steadfast marriage.

Family was important to them. There were many memories created spending time with not only the immediate family, but also extended family who lived nearby. They would gather to work, quilt, and celebrate holidays and special events. Joan reveled in baking many goodies, as well as decorating each room in the house for many of the holidays, especially Christmas. She loved ice cream and anyone who shared a meal with her knew there was always room for a little sweet treat at the end.

Joan was an excellent seamstress, sewing most of her daughters' dresses when they were young. She also made curtains, bedspreads, and even a bridesmaid dress to match the other two when one couldn't be bought. She was resourceful and creative.

For nearly 30 years Joan was the "Avon Lady" and attained Presidents Club for being a top seller. Her success came from treating her customers like friends, some of whom she kept in contact with years after she retired.

With a love of flowers and the outdoors, Joan tended her flower gardens, especially roses; indoors she had many houseplants, including 25 different orchids at one point. The family of five also experienced the outdoors together through traveling and camping; after the girls were grown, Herman and Joan traveled in their motorhome.

Faith in the Lord and being part of a church community were important to Joan. She served in a variety of roles at church, such as teaching Sunday School and singing in the choir. Joan depended on prayer to bring her peace, especially as symptoms of her dementia increased.

In 2015, she relocated to Go Ye Village, in Tahlequah, OK, to be near her daughter, Debbie. As dementia progressed, Joan became more uninhibited, joyful, and playful. There were many times spent with her when everyone would be doubled over with laughter at her antics. March of 2019, she came to live at Village on the Park in Bentonville, Arkansas, a place she called home where she could share smiles, love, and laughter with residents and caretakers alike.

Joan had the opportunity to know and touch the lives of many people over the years and will be missed by all those she impacted.  She is survived by her daughters: Tana (Mike) Murphy, Pam (Rick) Kennedy, Debbie (Rich) Wrigley; her grandchildren: Adam (Liz) Murphy, and Luke Murphy, Chelsey Kennedy, Haley (Bryce) Reimer nee Kennedy, Hannah (Aldo) Flores nee Wrigley, Jacob (Haley) Wrigley, Grace Wrigley, Isaac (April) Wrigley, Lily Wrigley, Richard "Seppi" (Hannah) Wrigley, Fiona Wrigley, Anthony Wrigley, Francesca Wrigley, Ian Wrigley; her great-grandchildren: Landon, Brooke, Mason, Adeline, and Gideon Murphy; Kate and Camden Reimer; Conrado Flores; Penelope and Maximus Wrigley; Brayden, Alaina, Ryleigh, Isaiah, and Savannah Wrigley;  Davy, Natalie, and Jenny Wrigley; her brother: William Kluge; an aunt: Evelyn Foster; and great-nieces: Gabrielle (Justin) Schwemmer and Carly (Ryan) Newton.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Irvin and Rosella (Gaubatz) Kluge, her husband, Herman Compton, sister-in-law Joyce (Isselhard) Kluge, nephew Roland Kluge, niece Kathleen Kluge, and two grandchildren, Elijah Wrigley and Abigail Wrigley.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Cremations Only, Springdale, Arkansas.