Joan Phyllis Elden

Joan Phyllis Elden, 89, of Geneseo, IL, passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Hillcrest Home in Geneseo, IL. Memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at First Lutheran Church in Geneseo with Rev. Laura Kamprath officiating. A memorial visitation will be held at the church one hour before the service. She will be laid to rest at Rock Island National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to First Lutheran Church, Geneseo.

Joan was born on August 2, 1936, the daughter of Henry and Harriet (Anderson) Tweten in Cherry Township, MN. They lived on a farm near Hibbing, MN, where Joan attended and graduated from Hibbing High School in 1954. That summer, she attended Duluth, MN Business University, graduating in office management and junior accounting. She ran the business office for Mutual Benefit Life Insurance, where she was hired by William Elden, who told his salesmen that he hired her for his son, John. William passed before John and Joan got married several years later.

Joan and John lived in Duluth, MN, for four years and then moved to Owatonna, MN, and many other states, which improved John’s career. Together, they raised three wonderful children, Greg, Julie, and Diana. Joan was happy to stay home and be a mother until Greg and Julie were in college. She worked in offices for TV Guide of Moline, IL, Hammond Henry Hospital in accounting, the Rock Island Arsenal, and as Director of Support Services at Girl Scout Council, and Verizon for 10 years before retiring at 70 years old.

Joan loved to travel and was fortunate to visit Switzerland, Germany, Australia, New York, New Orleans, 3 Sugar Bowl Football Games that Joan won trips for, and many family reunions in Minnesota that were always the most enjoyable. Joan has been a member of First Lutheran Church since 1976. She attended many bible studies, helped and taught VBS, attended Women’s Groups, sang in Senior Choir, and organized luncheons.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, John Elden; children, Greg (Cricket) Elden of Huntsville, AL, Julie Elden of Escondido, CA, Diana Baca of Peoria, IL; grandchildren, Nicholas Moss, Charley Elden, Keith Elden, Tricia (Connor) Hall, and Storm Baca; sister in laws, Judy Tweten, and Mary Tweten.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Harriet; brothers, Richard, Donald, and Johnny Tweten; sister-in-law, Shirley Tweten; grandsons, Jonathan Baca and Richard Moss.