Joan E. Tesseniar

Joan Tesseniar, 80, passed into the hands of her Lord and Savior on Thursday, December 8, 2022.

Born on January 15, 1942 in Caroleen, North Carolina, Joan was the daughter of the late George Reid and Mary Biddix Earley. She grew up in Caroleen and graduated with Tri High School’s Class of 1959. Later that year, she married her high school sweetheart, Edward, and together they moved to El Paso where he was serving in the U.S. Air Force. Joan was happy to be a career military wife, homemaker, and stay at home mom; when they were stationed in North Carolina, the couple had their son, Steve, and later had two daughters, Trish and Laura, while stationed in Albany, Georgia. A favorite memory from that time was going to the park and enjoying the Azalea and Dogwood blooms.

Joan enjoyed traveling all over the world with Edward’s military career; they went to California, Germany, Holland, Paris, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Hawaii, and Africa. When the children were older, she worked at Sears in North Carolina for 10 years and at J-CORP in Saudi Arabia. Joan was secretary at Unity Baptist Church and also at Shirley Hills Baptist Church in Warner Robins where she and Edward were longtime members. She also enjoyed teaching Sunday school class and singing in the choir and was a member of Women’s Missionary Union and the Keenagers.

In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her loving husband of 61 years, Edward J. Tesseniar; and her siblings, Jimmy Earley and Ostine McDaniel.

Her memory will forever be treasured by her children, Stephen “Steve” Wayne Tesseniar of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Patricia “Trish” Tesseniar Doyle (Barry) of Warner Robins, and Laura Tesseniar White (Jody) of McDonough; grandchildren, Josh and Chris Tesseniar (Lacey), Alex and Allie Doyle, Aubrey Oglesbee (Chad) and Taylor White (Josh); great-grandchildren, Laney and Levi Oglesbee, Luke Tesseniar, and Adelyn Benavente; and siblings, Donald Earley, Janice McGinnis, Jerry Michael Earley, and Geraldine Duncan.

Visitation with Joan’s family will be from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on Monday, December 12, 2022, at McCullough Funeral Home. The funeral service celebrating her life will immediately follow at 12:00 noon in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home with Reverend Joe Haselden officiating. Afterward, Joan will be laid to rest in Andersonville National Cemetery.

For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

The family will accept flowers or donations may be given in memory of Joan to Bill Glass Ministries (www.behindthewalls.com) or to Heart of Georgia Hospice, 103 Westridge Dr., Warner Robins, GA 31088.

McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.