Joan Annette Alexander

Joan A. Alexander, age 85, of Brooklyn, entered Heaven’s gates, just in time for morning coffee/”cappuccina,” on the morning of Sunday, August 8, 2021. Funeral service: 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 13, 2021, at Kloster Funeral Home, Brooklyn with Pastor John Dodds officiating. Burial will be at Brooklyn Memorial Cemetery. Visitation: 9 to 11 a.m., Friday, August 13, 2021, at the funeral home, prior to the service. A memorial fund has been established.

Joan is survived by one sister, Charolette Olson of Cedar Rapids, her children, Dixie Holland (John Frahm) of Brooklyn, Dolores Reynolds of Brooklyn, Kenneth Alexander Jr. (Sara) of Brooklyn, and Cindy VanRenterghem (Mike) of Brooklyn; 10 grandchildren, Jeremy Holland (Aimee) of Brooklyn, Travis Alexander of Las Vegas, NV., Nicole Reynolds of Brooklyn, Jesse VanRenterghem (Brooklyn) of Brooklyn, Nathan Alexander of Malcom, Tara Kramer (Christopher) of Brooklyn, Colton Alexander (Bruce) of Iowa City, Cheyanne Packer (Ben) of Brooklyn, Dalton Alexander of Ankeny, and Emma Alexander of Brooklyn; and 11 great-grandchildren, Kayleigh Holland of Brooklyn, Gaige Holland of Brooklyn, Kylee Holland of Brooklyn, Dillon Reynolds of Brooklyn, Amarah Alexander of Grinnell, Abigail Spalding of Mount Vernon, Domonic Kramer of Brooklyn, Graci Kramer of Brooklyn, Lola Packer of Brooklyn, Oliver Packer of Brooklyn, and Achilles VanRenterghem of Brooklyn, and a very special nephew, Beau Bennett (Terri) of Farmersburg, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Kenneth Alexander Sr., her daughter Phyllis Alexander, an infant son, her brothers Richard, Bob, Dean, Cleve, Lowell, Roger, Cletus “Dale”, and Forrest “Frosty” Bennett,  her sister Eva Ryan, and a baby sister.

Joan Annette Bennett was born January 18, 1936, in Waucoma, Iowa, the daughter of Earl and Vera (Monahan) Bennett. She attended Allamakee County Schools, grew up on a farm and helped milk cows, had 11 siblings, and raised five children. Joan was united in marriage to Kenneth Raymond Alexander Sr. on May 28, 1954, in Caledonia, MN., the day she graduated from High School. As soon as she graduated, her and Kenneth traveled north 30 miles, and said “I do.” Joan loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren very much and cherished her dog, Teddy. She enjoyed playing cards, going to the casino, having morning coffee and recently enjoyed a cup of cappuccino or “cappuccina” as she called it. She was always up for visiting with family, friends and neighbors. Joan enjoyed making home-made bread, her sugar cookies were the best around and she made chicken and noodles every Sunday for Sunday dinner with her family.