September 18, 2019
REST IN PEACE
Phoenix - Joan Mary Ambre passed away peacefully surrounded by family on September 18, 2019. She was born August 12, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Mary (Wesley) Hushek and Joseph Hushek, the fifth of six children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl, and her brothers, Joseph Jr., Paul, Charles, Allan, and Jim. Joan attended St. Matthew's Elementary School, Holy Angels Academy, and 1 year at Mount Mary College, before entering the Dominican Order, who had taught her while she was a student at St. Matthew's. During her 15 years as a Dominican nun, Joan received both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in English literature. She was Superior of the Convent and Principal of the Aquin High School in Freeport, IL. Joan met Earl Ambre in 1967, left the Dominican Order in 1969, and together they joined the Peace Corps, where they made life-long connections in Jamaica, Barbados, and Lesotho, South Africa. Joan held many administrative positions in the Peace Corps, Bureau of Land Management, and Departments of Labor and Interior. She retired as the Director of Personnel for the Peace Corps in 1996. After retiring to Phoenix, both Joan and Earl dealt with health issues including cancer, which ultimately led to Earl's untimely death in 1997. In 2005, Joan moved into the Christian Care Retirement Community, where she was blessed with many friends, in particular Barbara Tintrup, who was a true friend and daily companion, sharing their love of sports, crossword puzzles, and bingo. In 2019, they both moved to a group home where Joan resided until her recent passing. Joan is survived by sisters-in-law, Pat Hushek (Chuck) and Carol Hushek (Jim), beloved nieces and nephews, and friends around the world. A Visitation will be held at 4 PM on Friday, October 4 with a Celebration of Life starting at 5 PM at Hansen Mortuary, located at 8314 N. 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Box 13600, Phoenix, AZ 85002. Please visit www.hansenmortuary.com for online condolences.
Joan along with her deceased husband Earl were long time members of CORPUS. Together they attended many CORPUS National Conferences through the years.