Clara Joann Whitehead

Clara JoAnn Whitehead, 82, of La Junta passed away on March 2, 2017 at the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in La Junta. Clara was born on June 14, 1934 in Otway, Ohio to Charles E. & Clara E. (Davis) Dettwiller.

JoAnn met her loving husband, David in 1953 while they attended Wilmington College. They were married on June 3, 1955 at the Our Lady of Lourdes in Otway. They moved to Las Animas in 1989, then to La Junta in 2007. Their four children were blessed to be raised by such an exemplary couple.

JoAnn graduated as valedictorian from Otway High School. She attended the University of Tennessee and completed her BA degree and earned her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Northern Colorado. She and David were life-long educators and taught in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Colorado. She loved teaching all children, but especially enjoyed teaching kindergarten.

JoAnn served as lector at her church, a member of the altar society and a member of the Women’s Circle at Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Patrick Parish in La Junta. She brought her love of teaching into the church through catechism instruction. JoAnn’s selfless love and kindness are treasured and memorialized in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and countless others.

JoAnn was an avid sports fan particularly when her children and grandchildren were the competitors. She followed them across the state and the country to support their activities which she memorialized in volumes of scrapbooks. Her athletic passion extended to Bronco and University of Tennessee football and University of Kentucky basketball, Just two weeks ago she traveled to Yankton, S.D. to root for and visit and proudly watch her granddaughter, Clara play basketball at Mount Mary College.

During retirement, she and David enjoyed traveling. Their travels included Mexico, Canada, Alaska, the British Isles, continental Europe, and China. She especially loved exploring her family’s roots in Germany and France.

Living to treasure her memories is her loving husband of 61 years, David of the La Junta home; children, Mike (Carol) Whitehead, Charles (Debbie) Whitehead, Carol (James Lockhart) Whitehead, and Bill (Val) Whitehead; brothers, Bernard (Mary) Dettwiller and Fred Dettwiller; brother and sister-in-law, Richard (Janet) Whitehead of Ohio; 14 grandchildren, Carrie (Scott), David (Shiloh), Ginger, Charlie, Clara, David (Kristin), Allison, Rachel, Michael, Alex (Alycia), Leo (Laura), Jacob, Wilson, and Carmen; and six great-grandchildren also survive. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Paul, Bill, and Edward.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held on Monday, March 6, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Memorial Mass at 10:00 a.m. both services at Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Patrick Parish with Father Henry Wertin officiating. Inurnment will be held at a later date in the family plot at the Garvin Cemetery in Otway, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Patrick Parish or the Our Lady of Lourdes in Otway, Ohio direct or through the funeral home.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.