Joan M. (Varnau) Hellmann

She was preceded in death by her parents and by her siblings Richard, Regina, Wilbur, and Marjorie, and son-in-law Steve. She is survived by her husband, U. Leo, and brothers Tom and Mark, and children Greg (Cindy), Maureen, Fred (Shelly) and Jim (Janet).

Joan graduated from Howard Township High School in Kokomo in 1946. Her first job was as a Home Economist for a Kokomo utility company. In October, 1954, she married the love of her life, U. Leo Hellmann, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Kokomo, beginning a devoted marriage centered on faith and family. Together they raised four children: Jim, Fred, Maureen, and Greg.

Joan was the proud grandmother of fourteen grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren, with twenty-two living in Indiana and four in North Carolina. Her grandchildren held a special place in her heart, and she played an important role in the upbringing of those who lived nearby.

Joan was the consummate homemaker. She was widely known for her amazing laugh that could light up a room. She possessed a lively spunk and independence that defined her life—from commuting on a bus alone at age 18 from Kokomo to Indianapolis each day as she earned her beautician’s license, to later in life traveling with a girlfriend to London without husbands to sightsee and experience the world.

She was never afraid to try new foods, new places, or new experiences. Joan was a highly accomplished at flower arranging and a seamstress whose creativity brought beauty to many family occasions and celebrations. Her children fondly remember her harvesting flowers from the family garden to display in their home, which was rarely without live cut flowers filling rooms with fragrance and beauty

Above all, Joan will be remembered for her warmth, her humor, and her unmistakable sass. Her sassy sense of humor remained with her until her final hours, leaving her family with lasting memories of laughter, strength, and love.

She leaves behind a legacy of family, resilience, and joy that will continue through the many generations she helped nurture.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on March 13, 2026, at noon at St. Malachy Catholic Church, 9833 E. County Rd 750 N. Brownsburg, IN 46112