Joanne Piper Soileau, 84, passed away on Friday, January 31, 2020 in Florence, AL.  She was a native of Raleigh, NC, and a resident of Florence since 1964.

Visitation will be 11:30 - 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, at Elkins Funeral Home on Hermitage Dr., in Florence.  Funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. with burial immediately following at Tri Cities Memorial Gardens.

Joanne was a graduate of Hugh Morson High School in 1954, and received an associate's degree from Peace College, Raleigh, in 1956.  She worked at several companies in Raleigh prior to moving to Atlanta where she worked as an executive secretary for Monsanto. She married in 1964 and moved to Florence and became a wonderful homemaker for her family.

As a young teenager, Joanne accepted Jesus Christ as her savior and lived a life of faith.  In high school she taught bible classes at the North Carolina state school for visually-impaired African-American students.

She was a member of Highland Baptist Church in Florence where she taught Sunday school classes and hosted weekly bible studies for teenagers in her home.

During the 1990's, Joanne was the Teaching Director for Community Bible Study (Northwest Alabama region) and later served as the Regional Area Director for North Alabama.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James T. Piper and Minta King Piper, and brothers James "Jimmy" Piper, Jr., and Fred Piper, of Raleigh.

She is survived by her husband John Millard Soileau, sons, Mark Soileau, Jeff Soileau (Sheridan), Chris Soileau and Trevor Soileau, and grandchildren, Ian Soileau, Evan Soileau, Carianne Kulwicki, and Zen Ocean.

She is also survived by sister-in-law Justine Piper (Jimmy), Joyce Piper, sister-in-law Patsy Schwartzenburg (Carl), brother-in-law Charles Soileau, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pall bearers include her 4 sons, grandson Ian Soileau, Shan McGee, Brian McGee, Larry Whitten, Elgin Edmonds, and nephew Corey Schwartzenburg.

The family extends gratitude to Dr. Danny McFall, Dr. Kerri Bevis (UAB Women's Center), and the doctors and staff of the Northwest Alabama Cancer Center.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (ocrahope.org) or the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation (alzinfo.org).

You're invited to leave online condolences at www.elkinsfuneralhome.com.