Joan Elizabeth Hobstetter
Dec. 22, 1950-Feb. 12, 2024
Palo Alto, United States

Joan Hobstetter passed away peacefully at home in the early hours of February 12, 2024, beside her beloved husband, Gary, her little dog Peet, and with her four children in the next room – her family all together, just as she liked it. Joan passed away after a devastating battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Joan – Honey, Mom, Grammy, Joanie, sister, teacher – was born and raised in Lebanon, New Hampshire, daughter of Raymond and Margaret Kelly. Her lifelong grit and determination buoyed her as she became a single mother at age 16, persevered to the top of her class at Lebanon High School, and as she supported herself and toddler while working at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

No dream was too big for Joan, and in 1973 she decided to change her life. All at once, Joan sold her belongings, purchased a red Volkswagen Beetle convertible, picked up her daughter from preschool, and drove West. With the Bug transformed into a makeshift camper (replete with flower planters), she and Traci chased the California dream all the way from their small New Hampshire town to a new life in Palo Alto, California. Joan enrolled at Foothill College while working at Stanford University's Math Department and moonlighting as a tart baker at the Renaissance Fair. She built a village of young single mothers and close-knit friends, and transferred to San Francisco State University, where she obtained a BA in Children's Theater and later a teaching credential. Joan’s passion for children’s education and the arts shaped the rest of her life.

Joan and Traci settled with their cat Angie in an apartment on Webster Street in Palo Alto. Everything changed when a sheltie named Stardust pawed at the door. Lovestruck neighbor, Gary – initially rebuffed, but knowing Joan was a dog lover – sent Stardust to Joan’s door along with an invitation for tea. And so began their love story of more than 45 years. Joan and Gary married on the front deck of their apartment building and soon purchased a termite-infested, Stanford party house on Emerson Street, breathing new life into the brown house under the big oak. Joan created a home full of love and the best kind of chaos – children and their friends, sawdust and paint, paper mache and power tools, gatherings with tables stretched through rooms, gratitude “love” circles, and a menagerie of animals. Joan’s love of the outdoors and endless energy took Gary and Joan on many adventures, including trekking the Annapurna Circuit, exploring Europe and Mexico, completing seven marathons, creating the lakeside magic of Inwood, and taking frequent camping and road trips.

Joan was a beloved member of the Addison Elementary School community for more than three decades, first as a parent leader and Spectra Art teacher, and then as a Kindergarten teacher for 20 years. As a teacher, every inch of her classroom was filled with art and words. Joan had a gift for seeing each kinder’s light, and through her work she impacted hundreds of students and their families.

Joan leaves behind a legacy of strength, silliness, epic dance moves, peace and presence in nature, piles of heart-shaped rocks, and a forever love that she poured fiercely into her family. That love will continue to nourish us and we will pass it on to her grandchildren.

Joan is survived by her husband Gary, her children Traci Herrin (Craig Herrin), Maggie Hobstetter (Graham Young), Kelly (Elizabeth Hobstetter), and Lauren Hobstetter (Jules Wurzler), grandchildren Emerson, Hallie, Isla, and Dillon, and siblings Eileen Bateman and Michael Kelly.

Throughout her battle with Alzheimer’s, Gary centered Joan’s joy and her continued connection to the world and her people. Our family is grateful for his devotion, and for the expert care provided by Joan’s caregivers, Paula and Ahi, and their commitment to ensuring Joan’s dignity through all stages of her disease.

A Celebration of Life will take place on April 27, from 11:00-1:00 at MacArthur Park (27 University Avenue, Palo Alto). The Hobstetter family has established Foothill College’s first-ever scholarship for single parents, to honor Joan’s legacy and invest in individuals chasing their educational dreams while also parenting. To give, please make checks payable to FHDA Foundation with Joan's name in the memo and mail to FHDA Foundation, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. You can also give online at https://secure.donationpay.org/fhda/ and indicate the gift is in memory of Joan Hobstetter.

Tags: teacher/educator