Marion “Joan” Gillen, age 88, of McCook, NE passed away Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at Brookdale in McCook.

Born May 4, 1930, to parents Roy and Hazel (Bymer) Stewart in Culbertson, NE, Joan was one of thirteen children. The family farmed and made their home in Culbertson. Joan graduated from Culbertson High School. Following high school, Joan worked for numerous doctors and dentists and the Fox Theater in McCook.

On June 29, 1950, Joan married the love of her life, Francis H. Gillen in McCook. To this union three children were born: Janice, Teresa and Mark.

Joan was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, and also owned and operated F.H. Gillen Sand and Gravel with her husband, Francis, until his passing in 1999. Joan, along with her sister Lorna Trupp, owned or managed several restaurants in McCook: Ed’s Grill, Larry’s Café, Chief Motel Restaurant and the High Chaparral Restaurant. Joan was a floral designer for County Floral for over twenty years.

Joan’s hobbies included watching Husker football, bowling, and fishing and hunting with her husband. She will also be remembered for her large garden and the companion geese she loved to raise.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Francis Gillen; daughter, Teresa Coyne; brothers, Cecil, Don, Roy Jr., Orville and Virgil Stewart; sisters, Martha Burns, Beulah Miles, Dorothy White and infant Atha.

Those left to mourn her passing include daughter, Jan (Mike) Gilbert of McCook; son, Mark (Ann) Gillen of Thornton, CO, son in law, James Coyne of Ft. Collins, CO; brother, Wayne Stewart of McCook; two sisters, Lorna Trupp and Edna VanFleet, both of McCook; three grandchildren, Natalie Marks of McCook, Zachary Gillen of Kearney, NE, and Nathan Gillen of Denver, CO, great grand-daughter Erin Marks of McCook, as well as a host of extended family members and friends.