Carol Joan Pelnar, 85, of Blair died Wednesday, October 12, 2016, at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Services are pending with Campbell-Aman Funeral Home in Blair.

Carol Joan Pelnar, 85, of Blair, died Wednesday, October 12, 2016, at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Services will be held Tuesday, October 18, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at Campbell Aman Funeral Home. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service.

Carol Joan Pelnar (Joan) of Blair passed away on October 12, 2016. She was born September 7, 1931, in Arlington, Nebraska to Alta and Stanley Marsh. She grew up in Spiker, Nebraska. After graduating from Blair High School in 1948, she worked in the Washington County area until moving to Colorado in 1954. While in Colorado, she worked for the City of Thornton and was a dental assistant for many years.

In 1969, Joan moved back to Blair, Nebraska where she began working for OPPD at the Ft. Calhoun Station. It was here that she met George Pelnar; they were married on September 4, 1984. Joan enjoyed gardening and feeding the many squirrels and hummingbirds that made their home in her yard. After retiring from OPPD, Joan and George enjoyed traveling around the United States. They also spent 11 years raising a Capuchin monkey for Helping Hands, an organization that trains monkeys to assist adults with spinal cord injuries and other mobility issues.

Preceded in death by: parents, Stanley and Alta Marsh; husband, George Pelnar; siblings, Larry Marsh, Marvin Marsh, and Marlene Marsh; and also an infant daughter.

Joan is survived by her children: Pamela (Mick) Ellis of Blair, NE; Cathy (Jerry) Coble of Pattison, TX; Leroy (Julie) Gilbert of Denver, CO; Rick (Cory) Pelnar of Papillion, NE; Nancy Tolles of O'Fallon, MO; grandchildren: Justin (Shandee) Gilbert, Tyler (Sarah) Gilbert, Kristin (Tim) Gilbert, Megan (Mike) Halstead, Luke (Beth) Ellis, Justin Pelnar, Ian (Gina) Pelnar, Eric (Caitlin) Hayes, Kaitlyn (Zach) Hayes, William (Lori) Miles, Shawna Waymire, Stanley Waymire, Stephen Waymire, Christine (Tony) Roberson; many great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.

Joan supported many charities, including St. Jude, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and Helping Hands. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for later designation.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~ FindaGrave #199482357