Maple Grove, MN - January 22, 1932 - March 15, 2026

Joan Shirley Hoeft, 94, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, passed away on March 15, 2026, at Maple Grove North Memorial Hospital. She left behind a legacy of strength, laughter, and a life lived entirely on her own terms.

Joan was born on January 22, 1932, in Brainerd, Minnesota, to Earl and Beatrice Hoeft. She grew up in Brainerd alongside her older brother Neil, younger sister Jean, and younger brother Gary.

Joan was a proud single mother who worked hard and cared for everyone around her. She built a career spanning more than five decades, working 30 years at Food Producers Inc./ConAgra before retiring, only to head right back to work for another 25 years at the Minneapolis Auto Auction. Retirement was never really Joan's style.

Outside of work, Joan was a talented cake decorator, calligraphy artist, and all-around crafty lady. Her handmade greeting cards were legendary and touched the lives of countless friends and family. She was also a relentlessly competitive Scrabble player and a devoted card player whose games of choice were Thirty-One, Hand and Foot, Jump, and Progressive Rummy. If you sat down at her table, you better bring your A-game. When it came time to relax, Joan would cheer on her favorite teams: the Twins, the Timberwolves, and the Vikings, all while sipping on a diet orange soda.

Joan kept her mind sharp well into her 90s with books, jigsaw puzzles, and games on her beloved tablet. But what truly set Joan apart was her adventurous spirit. She went downhill skiing at 60, walked the Great Wall of China in her 70s, and went skydiving at 80, all part of a bucket list she had no intention of leaving unfinished.

If you were lucky enough to be Joan's friend, you knew one thing for certain: she would never answer the phone with "hello." Every call started with a wisecrack that had you laughing before the conversation even began. That was Joan. Her warmth, humor, and non-stop smile lifted the spirits of everyone who crossed her path. She made friends wherever she went and kept them close. She stayed connected to her co-workers from FPI and the Auto Auction through reunions and lunches, and she was blessed with an incredible group of friends who would take her out to lunch, for a drive, or sometimes on a trip.

Joan was a mother to many. Her nieces and nephews considered her their second mom, and her door was always open. She was strong, independent, generous, and full of life from her first day to her last.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Beatrice Hoeft; her brother, Neil; and her sister, Jean.

She is survived by her son, John (Tracy Rocchio) Hoeft; her daughter, Beverly (Kent) Henrickson; her grandchildren, Ted, Miles, and Isabella; her great-granddaughter, Maxine; her brother, Gary (Laura) Hoeft, of Grand Forks, North Dakota; and a wide circle of nieces, nephews, co-workers, and dear friends who were all better for having known her.

A Celebration of Joan's Life will be held on April 18, 2026. Details regarding time and location will be shared with family and friends.