Joanne Sheldon
In 1985 I graduated travel school and got my first job at Carefree Travel in Pleasanton, CA. My manager was this middle aged women who smoked in her office (it was accepted back then!), was fun, crazy and whose goal was to bring me out of my quiet shell and make me a good travel agent. I began booking Joanne’s cars and hotel reservations in the mornings and then delivering airline tickets in my personal car in the afternoons. Not soon after, United Airlines went on strike and Carefree Travel needed all the travel agent help they could get and I was thrown to the wolves. My travel career at begun!
Joanne was worldly, had been in travel for years and years and her stories would have me blush from my toes to my hair. While sitting in her office blushing over another of her stories, we realized that Joanne’s daughter and I were the same age. She introduced us and from Day One Joanne’s daughter, Michelle, and I have been best friends!! Joanne was the “cool mom”. She was the one who would take us to bars when we were underage. She taught me about going to happy hour after a long day of travel. She taught me about going to travel seminars to eat the free food and drink the free booze, while learning about a destination or company. She would “work it”, and at 19 yrs old, living with my parents, with a new best friend and a cool work people my life forever changed.
As the years continued and the travel industry changed, Joanne and I worked for different companies but were forever entwined because of Michelle and my friendship. Engagements, bridal showers, weddings, divorces, baby showers, babies, baptisms, birthday parties, holidays, graduations and hospital visits, she remained my 2nd mom, or BoAnne as the kids started calling her so many years ago.
Joanne would always called Meghan “Little Bob” because Meg looks so much like her dad. One of Meghan‘s baby pictures in a Christmas card, Joanne said that it was Bob‘s face with a pink bow.. She would also say to Michelle and I that we would follow each other off a cliff. YEP! Joanne could wear a wig like no other person I’d known and poke fun at herself doing it. Joanne taught me how to make the BEST stuffed mushrooms.. On more than one occasion Joanne and I would make gravy from scratch in Michelle’s kitchen on a holiday….. A little of this and a little of that! She also made the best stuffed pears at the holidays and sour cream fudge, which I need to find my recipe. We would joke that she needed to give me the recipe before she died. J
Joanne was a cat with 9 lives. She fought multiple cancers, a massive heart attack, and all kinds of hospital stays due to the effects of smoking. Michelle says she had a portable ashtray in her purse when 911 took her by ambulance to the hospital. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is beer in her fridge too. These bring big smiles and laughter because that was BoAnne!!!
Joanne succumbed to organ failure last night as this cat had no more lives left. She is now in heaven, sitting in her chair, cigarette in one hand, beer in the other, watching food network and sports and she no longer has to worry about bad arteries, shortness of breathe, and Michelle and I getting in trouble.
RIP BoAnne and give my daddy a hug for me!
In 1985 I graduated travel school and got my first job at Carefree Travel in Pleasanton, CA. My manager was this middle aged women who smoked in her office (it was accepted back then!), was fun, crazy and whose goal was to bring me out of my quiet shell and make me a good travel agent. I began booking Joanne’s cars and hotel reservations in the mornings and then delivering airline tickets in my personal car in the afternoons. Not soon after, United Airlines went on strike and Carefree Travel needed all the travel agent help they could get and I was thrown to the wolves. My travel career at begun!
Joanne was worldly, had been in travel for years and years and her stories would have me blush from my toes to my hair. While sitting in her office blushing over another of her stories, we realized that Joanne’s daughter and I were the same age. She introduced us and from Day One Joanne’s daughter, Michelle, and I have been best friends!! Joanne was the “cool mom”. She was the one who would take us to bars when we were underage. She taught me about going to happy hour after a long day of travel. She taught me about going to travel seminars to eat the free food and drink the free booze, while learning about a destination or company. She would “work it”, and at 19 yrs old, living with my parents, with a new best friend and a cool work people my life forever changed.
As the years continued and the travel industry changed, Joanne and I worked for different companies but were forever entwined because of Michelle and my friendship. Engagements, bridal showers, weddings, divorces, baby showers, babies, baptisms, birthday parties, holidays, graduations and hospital visits, she remained my 2nd mom, or BoAnne as the kids started calling her so many years ago.
Joanne would always called Meghan “Little Bob” because Meg looks so much like her dad. One of Meghan‘s baby pictures in a Christmas card, Joanne said that it was Bob‘s face with a pink bow.. She would also say to Michelle and I that we would follow each other off a cliff. YEP! Joanne could wear a wig like no other person I’d known and poke fun at herself doing it. Joanne taught me how to make the BEST stuffed mushrooms.. On more than one occasion Joanne and I would make gravy from scratch in Michelle’s kitchen on a holiday….. A little of this and a little of that! She also made the best stuffed pears at the holidays and sour cream fudge, which I need to find my recipe. We would joke that she needed to give me the recipe before she died. J
Joanne was a cat with 9 lives. She fought multiple cancers, a massive heart attack, and all kinds of hospital stays due to the effects of smoking. Michelle says she had a portable ashtray in her purse when 911 took her by ambulance to the hospital. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is beer in her fridge too. These bring big smiles and laughter because that was BoAnne!!!
Joanne succumbed to organ failure last night as this cat had no more lives left. She is now in heaven, sitting in her chair, cigarette in one hand, beer in the other, watching food network and sports and she no longer has to worry about bad arteries, shortness of breathe, and Michelle and I getting in trouble.
RIP BoAnne and give my daddy a hug for me!
So very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and her family. What a great story and tribute you have written.
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