Joan Hathorn died peacefully in Allen, TX on December 4, 2016 at the age of 84. She was born on April 15th, 1932 in Pawnee County, OK to Harry Tillman and Mamie Coffelt Tillman.Joan graduated from Meremac High School in 1950 and was valedictorian of her class and later graduated from Oklahoma A & M in 1955 with a B.S. in elementary education. She married Fields Hathorn on December 23, 1955 in Hooker, OK where they were both teachers in the area. They then moved to Nashville, TN where Joan taught and received a M.A. degree from George Peabody College for Teachers. After completing their advanced degrees, the couple moved to Hominy, OK and had their only child Mary Beth. Teaching children was Joan's passion and she continued to teach for 42 years. She retired in Alamogordo, NM after teaching for the Alamogordo Public Schools for 32 years. She is remembered by her numerous students for her ability to bring out each child's potential. Joan was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma educational honor society. She was especially proud to have been nominated several times for various awards as the teacher that had made a significant difference in her student's lives. Joan was the local president in Alamogordo, NM and a state officer in New Mexico of the National Education Association. There were many key issues that she supported through the years, such as fair pay for teachers, arts in education, and adequate funding for education. She has been an active member of various Baptist churches in Oklahoma, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Texas. She held many supporting roles in church, such as Sunday School Secretary, Church Hostess, and anything else behind the scenes that needed to be done. She lived a life of service to other people, and her friends and family will remember her most for the sacrifices she made for others to be successful.Joan is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Mary Beth and Bill Costello of Allen, TX and her two grandsons Connor Hathorn Costello of Allen, TX and Jarod Hathorn Costello of Allen, TX. She is preceded in death by her husband, parents and 1 sister Nell Torrey, Alamogordo, NM and her husband Fields Hathorn.A memorial service is scheduled for Friendship Baptist Church in Fairview, TX at 4:00 on Thursday, December 8th, 2016. A graveside service will be held in Ravia, OK at 2:00 on Friday December 9th at the Ravia Cemetery. Brother Chad Womack will officiate the ceremony. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Joan's life. Services will be under the direction of Watts Funeral Home, Madill, Oklahoma. Condolences may be sent to wattsfuneralhome.com.In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Friendship Baptist Church Music Fund 270 Country Club Road, Fairview, TX 75069.