Joann Virginia Andersen, 85, of Grinnell, Iowa passed away on December 23, 2021, after a long battle with Alzheimer's. A memorial service will be held Monday, January 3, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Grinnell Christian Church, with a luncheon to immediately follow. Burial will be at Ewart Cemetery south of Grinnell. Joann was born on September 8, 1936, to Forrest and Alice (Bayliss) Watson on a farm near Leon, Iowa. Joann began kindergarten in Weldon, Iowa and then when her family moved to a farm on Ewart Road near Grinnell, she attended country schools in Washington Township. She attended Grinnell High School and graduated in 1954. Following graduation, she attended Iowa State Teacher's College (University of Northern Iowa) for two years and received her teaching certificate. Her first two years of teaching were in Vining, Iowa and Toledo, Iowa. For her third year, she secured a teaching position in the Grinnell School System teaching at Davis Elementary School. She taught second and third grades throughout her career. While she was teaching, she continued her own education taking classes at Drake University. Joann taught until 1963. While she was teaching in Grinnell, she met her future husband, Jim Andersen. They were married at the Grinnell Christian Church on June 18, 1960. They lived in or near Grinnell for all their married life. They had two children: Cynthia born in 1965 and Daniel born in 1970. Both children were born on the same day-March 5th, just five years apart. Her faith was especially important to Joann. She was a charter member of the Grinnell Christian Church, along with her mother. Jim and Joann were active members of the U & I Sunday School Class and enjoyed friendships with many other couples in the church. Joann taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and was involved in the church's Women's Fellowship. Joann loved reading and spending time with family and friends. Trips to California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Missouri and Illinois created good memories. She especially enjoyed being a grandmother. She loved her three grandsons and her two granddaughters with all her heart! She moved from her home near Ewart to the Brooklyn Community Estates in November of 2021. The Grinnell Unity Point Hospice team helped make her comfortable and took very good care of her. Joann is preceded in death by her father; James Forrest Watson and her mother; Alice Rose (Bayliss) Watson. She is survived by her husband, Jim Andersen of Grinnell, her daughter Cindi (Tom) Wagner of Bolingbrook, IL, her son Dan (Kris) Andersen of Polk City, Iowa and five grandchildren: Alex, Ryan and Brenden Wagner and Reaghan and Rhiley Andersen, her niece, Susan Andersen Burke, her nephew Scott, Andersen, as well as other loved cousins, family and friends. Memorials can be directed to the Andersen family. Please send in the care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112.