Joan E. Stay, 84, Princeton

July 19, 1938 - November 13, 2022

Joan E. Stay, age 84 of Princeton, MN, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 13, 2022, at the St. Cloud Hospital. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, November 18, 2022, at Christ Our Light Catholic Church in Princeton with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church, from 10:00-11:00 AM. Burial will be in Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.

Joan was born to William Jr. and Irene (Kuhn) Howe on July 19, 1938, at home in Foley. She met the love of her life, Edward Emil Hans Stay, in Foley, and they became inseparable ever since. Joan and Edward were married on February 14, 1956, at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Minneapolis, and they spent the next 66 years by each other’s side raising their five daughters. Joan had various jobs throughout her life including selling products for Avon and working retail at Kohls. Most notably Joan was a loving wife, mother, and homemaker.

Joan and Edward loved to travel together, and they spent many years bringing their family to their cabin in Outing. They loved to fish together and spent weekends and summers enjoying the lake. In their retirement, Joan and Edward loved to travel to Florida, where they spent their winters for over 20 years. Joan was also a terrific cook, and she loved to host family holidays. Above all else, Joan will be remembered as an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, and friend to all who knew her.

Joan is survived by her husband, Edward; daughters, Sharon (Dennis) Narog of Maple Grove, Linda (Chris) Bertram of Hudson, WI, Mary Joan Sweeney of East Bethel, Melissa Almen of St. Cloud, and Angela Stay of Champlin; 11 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; siblings, Robert Howe and LaVerne Howe; brother and sister-in-law, John (Jolene) Stay; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; son-in-law, Jim Sweeney; and infant sisters, Katherine and Patricia.