Joan F. Rubidge's Obituary
Joan F. Rubidge was born June 26, 1923 to Ross and Norma Fountain in San Diego, CA and had an identical twin named Jean. The girls and their younger sister, Loring, spent their childhood growing up in Matawan, NJ. The twins attended college at U.C.L.A. and Duke, graduating from Duke in 1948. Bothe girls joined Delta Gamma Sorority. After college they had a brief interim in New York City where they auditioned as twins at the Ford Modeling Agency for a Tony perm commercial. At the age of 21 the girls joined the Women’s Army Corp where they inspected Grumman Aircraft during WW II and were lab technicians in the service. Joan received her honorary discharge from the service in 1946 but rejoined and lived in Japan and Germany for several years. Joan was director of the service clubs abroad for the servicemen. It was as director of the club in Germany that she met her husband of 25 years, Lt. Col Richard Christian Rubidge. They lived in Havredegrace, MD and Kansas City before moving to Memphis in 1967 to join her twin sister Jean and her family. Joan made her home in Memphis for herself and Chris and stayed busy with her philanthropies. She and Chris became active members of the Memphis Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars and Joan enrolled in the Memphis Academy of Arts under instruction of Fred Rawlinson. She was affiliated with the Crestwood Ladies Association and a very talented artist and member as well of local Artist Group called Semmes Street, and was a supporter of WKNO Public T.V. as well as Art Auctions. She was devoted to her family and pets that extended beyond to always helping a stray animal in need and wildlife. Joan leaves two nieces and their families Jennie and Carl Wallin of Memphis, TN, Joan (her namesake) and Jim Peck of Mesquite, TX. A nephew Hall Danon and family of Honolulu, HI, great nephew, James Peck and family, Austin, TX and her brother in laws, James Leary of Memphis and Dalton Danon of Beverly Hills, CA. Services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, April 1, 2010 with a visitation one hour prior, all being held at Memorial Park Funeral Home.
What’s your fondest memory of Joan?
What’s a lesson you learned from Joan?
Share a story where Joan's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Joan you’ll never forget.
How did Joan make you smile?