God called and Joan Carroll Pickens answered in the early morning of March 6, 2018 just shy of her birthday on March 31st. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior at an early age. She attended First Baptist Church of Peculiar in Peculiar, MO and often attended church services with her son, Matthieu at Kansas City Church of Christ in Lenexa, KS.

Mom loved life in this order; GOD, family, gardening and quilting. We know quilting and gardening are tied. She was an avid reader and a member of the Women of Color book club. She learned how to game the library systems to get the books or books on tape when she wanted them.

Mom started quilting in the early 1990's and soon realized it was a gift. Her ability to visualize finished quilts using unconventional colors, patterns, and the creativity was extraordinary. She told stories of what inspired and the feelings that each quilt evoked. She believed she found her calling. She was an Artist.

Joan was a past president of the Greater Kansas City Quilting Guild. Her creations garnered many awards, as well as oohs and aahs. She was a member of Bible Study Fellowship (BFS) and the MoKan Heart quilting guild.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents Edward Morris Harmon and Vivian Nadine Harmon, and siblings Samuel, Bethina, Jerry and Larry.

She leaves behind four children: Tracey Givan (Lloyd), Alan Pickens (Rochinda), Christopher Pickens (Melissa) and Matthieu Pickens; grandchildren Dominique Phua (Micki), Perrin Givan, Jocelyn Pickens, Sydney Givan, Nicholas Pickens, Christian Pickens, Olivia Pickens, and one great grandson Jaden Robinson; along with a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.