Lillian Joan Newport, longtime Newkirk resident, died early Monday afternoon, Jan. 13, 2020 at Via Christi Village, Ponca City. She was 87.

The daughter of Crawford Earl and Lillian Pearl (Peden) Irbine, Joan was born July , 1932 in Ponca City. The first five years of her life were spent in the Pleasant View Community north of Ponca City. From there the family moved to a farm east of Newkirk. She attended Lone Star Rural School and then Newkirk High School where she graduated in 1950. Following graduation she became employed with Albright Title and Trust Company, working there for a year or two.

Joan began attending college at the Oklahoma College for Women at Chickasha, and, planning to be a lawyer, she studied speech and theater. Although she was always interested in social work, as a young person she felt she was too sensitive to handle such situations. She received her associates degree, and then attended Wichita State University and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in speech, theater and radio. By this time she had decided she didn’t want to become a lawyer.

On July 9th, 1954 while in college, Joan and Donald Edward Newport were married in Wichita. After graduation the couple moved to Liberal, Kan., and she worked for a time for a radio station before interrupting her career to raise a family. In September 1958 the couple welcomed their baby boy, Alan, to the family. In 1959 they moved to Oklahoma City and she enjoyed being a homemaker and mother. Three years later they had a daughter, Kim. When her daughter was in kindergarten, Joan returned to work in the field of Christian education and served several years as director of Children’s Ministries at Wesley Methodist Church in Oklahoma City.

After 17 years, Joan and Don ‘s marriage failed, and Joan and the children moved to Newkirk. She got a job as a case worker with the Department of Human Services. In 1972 wanting and needing additional education, she returned to school and received a graduate degree, Master of Social Work, from Oklahoma University in 1977.

Joan has been involved with a number of programs and recipient of awards during her career. In 1976 she organized, and then sponsored for seven years, a Ponca City chapter of Parents Anonymous, a support organization serving Kay County for parents who have already abused their children in some way or fear they might. She was chair of the District 17 Child Abuse Prevention Task Force and was one of the original members, and helped form the plan for the district. She was involved in the Displaced Homemaker Program at Vo-Tech and served on the advisory committee. She was instrumental in organizing the Ponca City unit of the National Association of Social Workers, and as vendorship chair she helped to further the actual honoring of third party (insurance) claims to clinical social workers. In 1987 Joan was honored as “Social Worker of the Year,” an award given for excellence in representing the profession, receiving the prestigious award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers at an honors banquet held in conjunction with the annual state conference. Joan’s private practice in Ponca City included psychotherapy for couples, individuals and children, as well as some case work.

A member of the United Methodist Church. Joan was also a member of United Methodist Women and active in their service projects and participated in Bible studies. She also enjoyed singing at church. She was active in public speaking for service organizations. She was listed in Who’s Who in American Women. Joan enjoyed on-line shopping, especially for jewelry. She was an avid reader, and she visiting with her daughter and spending time with her grandson. She had an artistic side to he. She enjoyed pottery and clay projects, and she painted, mainly in the oil medium. Joan loved the old movies, especially old musicals, and Judy Garland being a favorite actress to watch. She also liked the old TV shows.

In October 2015 Joan entered into the Memory Care unit of Presbyterian Manor in Arkansas City. While there she developed a special friendship with George who shared liked interests. In June 2017 she entered Memory Support at Via Christi Village in Ponca City where she lived the rest of her life.

Joan is survived by her children, Alan and Debbie Newport of Newkirk, and Kim Newport of Ponca City; and a grandson, Cameron Alan Newport of Stillwater.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Mildred Vickery; and a nephew, Rodney Vickery.

Cremation has been effected. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 in the First United Methodist Church of Newkirk with the Rev. Susan Rice officiating. Interment will take place at a later date in the Newkirk Cemetery. Miller-Stahl Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.

At the request of the family, in lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation for Alzheimers Research. Envelopes can be addressed to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104-9930. paid obituary