Joanne Bunge passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 5th in Costa Mesa, CA. She is survived by her two sons, Brad Fisher and Steven Fisher, their wives, and four grandchildren.
A native of Redwood Falls, Minnesota, Joanne graduated Grinnell College in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts major in music and a minor in speech. She was married in 1957, moved to Bloomington MN, and raised two sons. While in Bloomington, Joanne was a tireless volunteer in the community and schools.
In addition, Joanne served as the 1956 Grinnell College Alumni Class President for 17 years.
Joanne moved back to Grinnell in 1990 to become the Director of Planned Giving for Grinnell College under the tutelage of Tom Marshall. In 1995, Joanne became the Development Director for the Grinnell Regional Medical Center, where among other accomplishments, she founded the Senior Education Program (SE*ED), a still popular weekly information offering for seniors.
After retirement from GRMC in 2001, Joanne followed her passion for learning, with the 2007 establishment of the Community Education Council (CEC) comprised of charter members Grinnell College, Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Grinnell Schools, and The Mayflower Community. She chaired the Council until 2016, when she passed the gavel for health reasons.
In its mission to collaboratively offer educational opportunities not currently available in the Grinnell community, the CEC undertook a number of initiatives to honor WWII veterans including the publishing of Our War: Stories from Poweshiek County’s Greatest Generation, a book of individual veterans’ stories edited by George Drake.
Later on, Joanne led the Community Education Council to found the highly successful and still running “Bucket Courses” program, which offers unique, multi-session opportunities taught by local specialists to learn about various concepts before “you kick the bucket.” Joanne chaired the Bucket Course Committee for its first eight years. In the midst of this CEC activity, Joanne assisted the College in revitalizing the ACES summer education program.
Joanne was elected to the Board of the Mayflower Homes Foundation in 2007. She served as a Director for six years until 2013, after which time she served on the Fundraising Committee for another five years. Joanne was the brainchild and the artesian for themes of the annual Mayflower Fellowship of Givers Dinners.
In 2009, Joanne began the process of building a Harwich Terrace patio home in The Mayflower Community where she lived from 2010 until she moved to California with her son and family in 2018. A highlight of the home, was the “candle factory” she designed in the lower level where she could craft beautiful wax candles.
To send a note to Joanne’s sons:
• Steven Fisher, 2064 Phalarope Court, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
• Brad Fisher, 6624 Berretta Dr.,Plano, TX 75023
On behalf of the Grinnell community, The Mayflower Community would like to say, “Joanne, thank you for the many initiatives that you have established in the Grinnell. You showed us what it means to volunteer with all your heart and soul.”
