Joan Goff Stovall

Joan Stovall of West Yellowstone and formerly Bozeman, died on the 28th of July 2015, 20 days after her 90th birthday. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts and grew up in Boston, Jackson New Hampshire and Eddyville Pennsylvania. She graduated from Boston University with a Master’s Degree in German Language Education. In 1947 wanting to see the west and meet a cowboy, she rode a bus from Boston first to Fort Worth and then Yellowstone Park. As a summer employee in the park, she took many opportunities to attend dances and rodeos in and around Yellowstone. She met her cowboy and life-long partner, Jess at one of these dances at The Corral in Gallatin Canyon. They were married in June, 1949 and they had three children. Joan was a professor in the Modern Language Department at Montana State University from 1947 through 1989 and as an adjunct professor into the mid 90’s. She was a very devoted teacher and mother, spending untold hours of her time on her family and her students. She and Jess traveled extensively in their later years visiting Europe, Israel, Egypt and all parts of the United States. She retired to her lifelong dream, a cabin in the woods on Horse Butte near West Yellowstone. Surviving her are her three children, Jess Morgan (Cathy), Kirk (Diane) and Ann, in addition to many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jess and granddaughter Paige. Memorials in her name would be welcomed by the American Cancer Society and Heart of the Valley Humane Society. No services are planned. “Gute Fahrt”