Joan walling

Joan (Joanie) Inez Walling (Fowlston)
Joan Inez Walling (Fowlston), 77, passed away Sunday October 20, 2019 in Las Vegas after a courageous 2 ½ year battle with lung cancer.
Born April 5, 1942 to parents Leon and Ruth Fowlston, she grew up in Oxford, New York where she attended Oxford Academy and Central School.
Joanie graduated from high school and attended State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo where she earned her elementary school teaching credentials and library science concentration. Later she earned a masters degree in education from the State University of New York (SUNY) Cortland.
Her 30 year legacy as an elementary school teacher was based on a profound love of books and the thrill of being an elementary school librarian. Tennis consumed her moments without books. Joanie developed innovative and creative reading programs supporting students during her distinguished teaching career. She shared her passion for tennis by supporting student athletes and founding youth tennis programs in multiple locations.
Her passion for life and adventure led her to seek out unique travel experiences. Joanie's love of culture, art, and nature drew her to visit the places she read about in her books. Trips to Alaska, Mexico, Bahamas, and Europe were highlights of her broad exposure to the places where her favorite authors had described history, passion, and the intense beauty of nature.
Always dedicated to those she loved, Joanie is survived by her best friend and life companion Ken Sumida of Las Vegas, Nevada. Joanie has two sons Matthew Redding of Lorton, Virgina and Joseph Redding of El Paso, Texas. Her daughters-in-law Kristen Redding and Sandra Redding filled her heart with love and made her life rich and meaningful. Joanie reveled in her grandchildren. The joy she experienced with Alexander, Gracyn, Doryan, Evan, and Bianca Redding was always on display when Joanie would proudly recount each of their talents, passions, and accomplishments.
Joanie was preceded in passing by her brother Robert, Bill, and Dick Fowlston. She is survived by her sister Jeanette Biermann and brother Dave Fowlston as well as multiple cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Joanie was an intensely private person and no formal memorial ceremony has been planned at this time.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers or donations well-wishers consider finding their local public or school library and consider how to help bring the joy of knowledge and storytelling forward into the future.
No time or effort spent helping children to read, dream, and learn will ever be wasted.