Joan Marie (Danneman) Cilke

Joan Marie Cilke, 91, died peacefully after a short bout of pneumonia on Sunday, December 18, 2022. Her parents were Harry and Margaret Danneman, and her siblings were Harry J. Danneman and Margaret Rawlins. She was the proud mother of five sons: John, Jim, J. Thomas, Robert, and Edward. She was born in Chicago in 1931 and met the love of her life, Howard J. Cilke, in 1954. They married on Saturday, February 11, 1956. The following year Howard received an offer from Sandia National Laboratories, and he convinced Joan to leave the bustling metropolis of Chicago to live in the small western town of Albuquerque. She was active in the St. Bernadette Catholic church and the Sandia Sanado Women's Club. She played bridge with the same group for five decades, proudly winning the last-place prize consistently. She leaves behind her five sons and families, eight grandchildren, and within the last month, her first great-grandchild. She was an avid quilter, and she made the best peach pie. Joan will be greatly missed by her friends and family and a trusted friend to many.
A Service Celebrating her life will be held at St Bernadette Catholic Church,11509 Indian School Road NE, on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. A graveside service at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery,7999 Wyoming Blvd. NE, will be held immediately afterwards.