Joan Marie Claerhout

Joan Marie Claerhout, 79, of Geneseo, passed away on Saturday November 4, 2023, at her home. Funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday November 7, 2023, at St. Malachy Catholic Church. Private inurnment will take place at a later date at St. Mary Cemetery, East Moline, IL. Visitation will be Monday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory - Geneseo Chapel. A Recitation of the Rosary will be at 3:30 p.m. Memorials may be directed to ARC of the Quad Cities, St. Malachy Catholic Church, or Ohl Strong Pancreatic Cancer Foundation.

Joan was born on July 19, 1944, in Moine, IL, the daughter of Frank & Josephine (Leenknecht) Dewaele. She was a graduate of Alleman High School, class of 1962. She was united in marriage to Robert “Bob” Claerhout on May 8, 1965, at a ceremony at St. Pius Catholic Church in Rock Island, IL. She worked at Von Maur then went to work for John Deere Insurance and then later worked for and retired from Sentry Insurance.   Joan enjoyed playing cards, quilting, making greeting cards, baking breads, pies, and cakes, especially Belgium Cookies, flower gardening, motorcycle touring and camping in most of the United States, she loved doing arts and crafts and baking with her loving grandchildren. Joan was also a member of St. Malachy Catholic Church.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband Bob of Geneseo; son, Jeff of Stanton, CA; daughter, Chris (Roderick) Hamblen of Cary, IL.; sons, Michael (Abbey) of Midland, MI, and Mark (Jaci) of Geneseo, IL; six grandchildren, Lauren Hamblen, Morgan and Greyson Claerhout, Aria, Ava, and Audrey Claerhout; brother, Frank J. (Theresa) Dewaele of Rock Island, IL; and sister, Lois (Wil) Veroven of Rock Island, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Josephine; a granddaughter; Ashley Claerhout; and a sister Darlene Forslund.

To share a message of sympathy with Joan’s family, visit www.vandemorefuneralhome.com.