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Joanne Carrie House: A Life Dedicated to Service, Love, and Community

  //house-home.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/3 .. ife-dedicated-to-service-love-and-community.html
  Published in House and Home on Sunday, November 30th 2025 at 3:22 GMT

Joanne Carrie House: A Life of Service, Love, and Community

On Monday, January 20 2024, the Twin Cities mourned the passing of Joanne Carrie House, a beloved mother, grandmother, philanthropist, and lifelong Minnesotan. The obituary posted on the Twin Cities website—an online portal that aggregates obituaries from the Minneapolis‑Saint Paul region—provides a comprehensive look at a woman who devoted her life to her family, her faith, and the community that had shaped her.

Early Life and Education

Joanne was born on March 4, 1934, in Minneapolis to parents Robert and Margaret Carson. Growing up in a working‑class family, she learned the values of hard work, compassion, and community service early on. She attended local public schools before enrolling at the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in 1956. During her college years, Joanne was an active member of the university’s literary club, and she also participated in volunteer programs that taught her the importance of giving back.

Career

After graduation, Joanne embarked on a career that would span more than four decades. She joined the Minneapolis Public Library System as a librarian, where she was known for her encyclopedic knowledge of books, her dedication to youth programs, and her knack for organizing community events. Her tenure at the library was marked by several initiatives aimed at increasing literacy among underserved populations, including a summer reading program for inner‑city children that ran for 25 years.

When Joanne retired from the library in 1998, she did not slow down. Instead, she turned her attention to her passion for environmental stewardship, becoming a long‑time board member of the Saint Paul Greenhouse, an organization dedicated to restoring local wetlands and promoting sustainable agriculture. She was also a frequent speaker at town‑hall meetings, where she advocated for green spaces and public transportation.

Family Life

Joanne’s life outside of work was equally vibrant. On September 12, 1958, she married William House, a high‑school chemistry teacher and lifelong friend from their college days. Together, they raised three children—Sarah (née House), Michael, and Patricia—who all attribute their strong sense of community to their parents’ example. William passed away in 2015, leaving Joanne a devoted widow.

Joanne’s love for family was evident in every detail of her life. She organized yearly family reunions, often traveling to the rural countryside of Minnesota to bring relatives together. Her grandchildren—seven in total—were a constant source of pride and joy. Among them, her great‑granddaughter, Lily, credited Joanne with inspiring her love of literature and volunteer work.

Faith and Community

A devout member of St. Agnes Catholic Church in Saint Paul, Joanne attended Mass daily and was an active participant in the parish’s outreach programs. She served as the Chair of the Parish’s Food Pantry for 15 years, coordinating donations, volunteers, and weekly distribution of food to families in need. Her commitment to faith extended beyond the church walls; she was also a volunteer tutor for the Catholic School in the district and taught Sunday school to children in the local community.

In addition to her work with the church, Joanne was a long‑time member of the local Rotary Club, where she helped raise funds for various community projects, including the renovation of the Saint Paul Library’s children’s wing and the construction of a new playground for the neighborhood.

Legacy and Memorials

The obituary notes that Joanne’s passing was due to natural causes after a brief illness. She died peacefully at her home in Saint Paul, surrounded by her loved ones. Her funeral was held at St. Agnes Catholic Church on February 1, 2024, with a visitation at House Funeral Home the previous day. The service was a celebration of her life, with friends, family, and community members sharing stories, singing hymns, and reflecting on her lasting impact.

For those wishing to honor Joanne’s memory, the obituary lists several ways to contribute: donations can be made to the St. Paul Greenhouse, the Saint Agnes Food Pantry, or the Minneapolis Public Library’s Children’s Literacy Fund. Her family also encourages the community to share stories of Joanne on the funeral home’s memorial page, which is linked within the Twin Cities obituary.

Further Information

The Twin Cities obituary contains a hyperlink to the House Funeral Home’s official website. Visiting the site provides additional details about the funeral arrangements, including the location of the gravesite, which is at the Saint Paul Memorial Park. The funeral home’s page also includes a section where family members can post messages of condolence, ensuring that Joanne’s legacy continues to be celebrated even after her passing.

The obituary also references the Minneapolis Star‑Tribune, where a full‑page tribute was published the following week. The tribute highlighted Joanne’s lifelong dedication to literacy and environmental advocacy, quoting her favorite saying: “In every book, a new world, in every garden, a new life.” This quote, repeated throughout the obituary, encapsulates Joanne’s belief that knowledge and nature are intertwined gifts to be shared.

Final Thoughts

Joanne Carrie House’s life story, as presented in the Twin Cities obituary and its accompanying links, is a testament to a life lived with purpose and compassion. From her early days as a bright student in Minneapolis to her years as a librarian, environmental advocate, and devoted family woman, Joanne’s impact was felt in countless homes and institutions across the Twin Cities. Her legacy—one of service, love, and stewardship—remains an enduring inspiration for future generations.