JoAnn (Miller) Kelley

JoAnn (Miller) Kelley, 83, of Coppell, Texas, and formerly of Hazen, North Dakota, passed away peacefully on December 3, 2025, at Nana’s Place, a senior care home in Coppell, where her youngest daughter resides. Services will be held at 1:00 PM CT on Monday, June 29, 2026 at Peace Lutheran Church, Hazen, ND with Pastor Walt Wolff officiating. Burial will follow at Peace Lutheran Cemetery, Hazen.

JoAnn was born on April 2, 1942, in Hazen, North Dakota, to Otto and Hertha (Weisz) Miller. She was raised on the family farm seven miles north of Hazen and attended country schools before graduating from Hazen High School in 1959.  Following graduation, she began her career in banking, working as a teller at Union State Bank in Hazen, Gate City Savings & Loan Association in Fargo, and Security National Bank in Sioux City, Iowa.

On September 3, 1961, JoAnn married her high school sweetheart, Dallas Rahn, at Peace Lutheran Church in Hazen.  During their twenty years of marriage, they made homes in several states, including North Dakota, Iowa, Georgia, California, and Texas.  While living in California, JoAnn devoted herself to raising their two daughters, creating a loving home and even sewing beautiful dresses for them to wear to church.

A lifelong learner with a strong work ethic, JoAnn graduated from the Fort Worth School of Business in 1981, earning an Executive Secretarial diploma.  She went on to build a successful professional career, serving as an Administrative Secretary at McKesson Corporation and Haynes & Boone LLP, and a Licensing Assistant for CitiGroup.  Known for her shorthand skills and exceptional typing abilities, she embraced emerging technology throughout her career, eventually mastering computers and advanced software applications.

Faith was the cornerstone of JoAnn’s life.  She was an active member of several Lutheran congregations, including Hope Lutheran Church in San Mateo, California, where she served as Treasurer of Hope Lutheran Church Women and volunteered with the Braille producers ministry.  She later attended Peace Lutheran Church in Hurst, Texas, serving as a counter and Sunday School secretary, and Advent Lutheran Church in Arlington, Texas, where she served as a counter and a member of the altar guild.

JoAnn loved God, her family, and the many friends she made throughout her life.  She found joy in caring for her beloved cats, decorating cakes, planting flowers (especially roses), and sharing time with those she loved.  Above all, she treasured her role as a grandmother to her three grandsons who brought her immense pride and happiness.

JoAnn is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Stacy Rahn-Dennis and Chris Dennis of Chicago, Illinois, and Stephanie and Jerry Osteen of Coppell, Texas; her grandsons, Kyle Dennis of Chicago, Illinois, Gunnar Osteen of Houston, Texas, and Gavin Osteen of Jacksonville, Florida; her sister, Judy Tuxford of Brentwood, Tennessee; her sister-in-law, Ardella Miller of Hazen, North Dakota; and many beloved nieces and nephews in North Dakota, Idaho, Tennessee, and Washington.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Hertha Miller; her brother, Jerome Miller; her brother-in-law, Tom Tuxford; and her husband, James Kelley.

JoAnn will be remembered for her deep faith, kindness, helpful nature, and devotion to her family.  Her loving and caring spirit will be dearly missed and forever remembered.

Arrangements conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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