Joan Marie Kielman
Written in Mother’s beautiful cursive on a light blue envelope almost randomly but perfectly timed to the difficult task of writing her final tribute were these words: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. Let us trust in Jesus and our heavenly Mother and everything will work out well. Amen.”
Joan Marie Kielman, née Forberg, went to her heavenly home early Monday morning on April the 14th of 2025. Joan was born to Ralph Edward and Esther Marie (Weber) Forberg on March 25th, 1936.
Joan grew up in a multigenerational household located on old Military Road in Fond du Lac with her younger sister, Elizabeth “Betty.” Her doting parents prayed many years to have children, and they were delighted to raise their small family in a house full of polka music and love. Joan had fair skin, blonde hair, and green eyes. She had an idyllic upbringing of roller skating with pom-poms in poodle skirts and pedal pushers with saddle shoes. Grandpa Peter Weber often took the girls on the train to visit their aunt Alice in Milwaukee. Joan graduated from Saint Mary’s Springs Academy Class of 1954, and it was here by chance that she met the love of her life, Donald Walter Kielman, on a ride home from school. She was his “girl on the ladder” and his favorite passenger on the back of his Triumph while he was her dark haired, handsome, “beautiful brown-eyes.” On May 21st, 1955, Joan married Don at St. Louis Church in Fond du Lac. She carried her bible and Lilly of the Valley flowers. They raised three boys and one girl with many happy-go-lucky Boxer dogs in between over their 67 years of marriage. Her last furry friend was the biggest, most treat-eating St. Bernard named Daisy whose slobbery, messy visits were enjoyed by both with much enthusiasm!
As a young woman, Joan worked for Laux Studio as a model and assisted in the hand coloring of black and white photographs. Joan was a secretary at A.C. Nielsens. She finished her administrative career as the medical transcriptionist for the doctors of Associated Physicians where they adored her quiet, sweet nature and meticulous attention to detail.
Joan mended countless socks, sweatshirts, holes in pants, and favorite childhood toys after the family boxer had unrestricted fun, and she embroidered dish towels almost too pretty to use. Joan was naturally artistic and later in life attended an art group of adult ladies who visited while painting acrylic and watercolor projects. Her boys made and painstakingly maintained a Stations of the Cross path throughout their woods that she walked, one time encountering a bear who thankfully didn’t like Boots. Joan was braver and more adventurous than she looked. She was a fearless Boy Scout leader, Sacred Heart Fun Fair organizer, volunteer for you name it, she helped or baked a treat. She never missed an athletic event or band concert or parade. She was slightly car challenged, experiencing motion sickness, locked herself out from time to time and definitely had trouble in reverse, and although she couldn’t read a road map to save her life, she didn’t let that anything stop her from visiting her children and grandchildren navigating her way around Wisconsin sometimes through unpredictable detours of Chicago praying to St. Anthony when lost and later crediting GPS as a modern-day miracle.
Granny gave the best tiny tea parties, took countless trips to Lake Side Park and the public library, encouraged making messes, colored hundreds of pictures, and she even liked turtles. If she wasn’t holding a video camera, she was ready to smile for pictures and made holidays memorable with full stockings on St. Nicholas and birthdays were made to spoil us rotten complete with a special singing telegram. Days were brighter with one of her hidden “Just Because” envelopes of $20 bills that felt quadruple when found, written words of encouragement and scripture divinely timed and cute smiley faces on post-it notes. She truly was happiest when surrounded by her family, celebrated reunions
whenever everyone cooperated, and she especially had fun on outings at The Fireside for a meal and show with themed cocktails and colorful paper umbrellas in take-home glassware. Not many people may know that although Joan appeared sweet and innocent, she loved to play games, and she was fiercely competitive. She laminated her top Yahtzee scorecard and was known to rub it in to jinx your moves. The title of “True Blue” meant you survived a few rounds of dice, dominoes, or cards with her. It did not matter if you were Joan’s husband, sister, child or grandchild, she played for blood to win!
In addition to the time devoted to her family, Joan was a humble servant to God and those in need. Always willing to offer up a prayer, she was on a Prayer Chain for those with desperate requests and an active member in her church community first at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fond du Lac and in retirement at the Church of the American Martyrs in Kingsford, Michigan. A devout Catholic, Joan observed Eucharistic Adoration weekly and for many years helped organize Faith Builders, a bible study group. Back in the day, she typed Sacred Heart’s weekly church bulletin using a mimeograph machine. She counseled girls in the middle of the night over the telephone for Pregnancy Healthline. She visited elderly relatives bringing them their favorite treats to practically every nursing home in Fond du Lac. She administered Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. For someone with a fear of flying, she felt guided to visit Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, where she experienced the Miracle of the Sun, being Slain in the Spirit, and after returning to the United States, every link of her Rosary had turned to gold, Joan felt inspired to share knowledge of the miracles and graces obtained when we pray the Rosary by starting a Rosary ministry. In the span of 30 years and with the help of Kathleen of Iron Mountain, MI, thousands of Rosaries have been distributed for free, and the Rosary box at American Martyrs has miraculously remained full promising access to anyone in need. Not to mention all that but Mom balanced the checkbook managing a big family and two properties on a shoestring budget all while keeping Dad happy. We hereby nominate her for sainthood!
After raising their family, Joan and Don spent much of their retirement years at their cabin, “Kielman Carefree Acres” in Florence, WI. They lived a simple life in the woods accompanied by Boots and Honey, regularly attended service by Fr. Joe at the Church of the American Martyrs, occasionally indulged in hour-long rides for ice cream cones and take-out Chinese, and binged on Netflix with Dad’s stove popped popcorn. Joan relished the quiet life of the forty acres, but she enjoyed weekend visits from her family more. No sooner had the glow of headlights touched the driveway than she’d be at the door ready to welcome everyone with one of her unforgettable hugs. She was a terrific baker making every variety of pie, her pumpkin and her rhubarb were arguably the best, angel food with double frosting birthday cakes, cookies and muffins, rainbow Jello, and quiche Loraine cups with homemade French crepes, and her German potato salad was hands down better than any supper club in Wisconsin.
Although Joan’s final years may have kept her off her feet, she was joyful spending much of her time in her chair tucked in under her blanket looking like a little angel with her pure white hair while watching the Price is Right, Jeopardy, daily Mass, and the Rosary with Mother Angelica, and her wicked sense of humor lived on through marathons of old television series with her beloved son, David, until the wee hours of the morning: the Mentalist, Monk, All in the Family, Chips, Dukes of Hazard, Highway to Heaven, Touched by an Angel, and many times over Baywatch…with her being serenaded to “I’m Always Here” and forever being remembered as the ultimate Baywatch Babe.
Joan was survived by her children Michael (Julene) Kielman of Grantsburg, WI; her compassionate caretaker, David Kielman of Fond du Lac, WI; Brian Kielman of Florence, WI; Marybeth Kielman of Fond
du Lac, WI; and grandchildren: Khristy (Erik), Joshua, Nicholas (Kaitlyn), Victor (Cailey), Maddy and with special mention, her dear niece and nephew, Cindy and John Ernest, whose love and presence were constant over the years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Esther; her husband, Don; and her sister, Elizabeth.
In lieu of a funeral service, the family has requested that you remember our beloved “prayer warrior” by praying five decades of the Holy Rosary on Saturday, June 7, 2025, commemorating the “Jubilee 2025 1st Saturdays of Fátima” devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In particular Joan has asked for all to reflect on the Joyful Mysteries, a source of great comfort and strength during difficult times.
Our family wishes to extend deep gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the ladies of Hospice who assisted Joan, David, and Mary the last few weeks of Joan’s life. Their compassion and care made an infinite difference in navigating the sorrowful time.
Each time our mother and “Granny” would say goodbye, she would make the sign of the cross with her thumb on our foreheads. The family would like to extend Joan’s parting words to those reading: May God love you, bless you, and keep you safe.