Joan Mareah Underland "Joanie"

Joan Mareah Underland (nee Brack) passed away unexpectedly, four days shy of her 65th birthday, on September 24, 2026. She was on a walk along her favorite route with her husband when she suffered heart failure. The sky was blue, the weather temperate, the park lush and green, and the sun was shining on her in her final moments.

Joanie Brack was born on September 28, 1961, in Great Bend, Kansas. She was the sixth of nine children born to Lloyd and Annabelle Brack. She is preceded in death by both her mother and father, as well as her brother, Boyd. She also follows a number of loved ones, including her niece’s husband, Thomas, her nephew, Tyler, and her niece and godchild, Chelsea. She is survived by her husband, Phil, her daughter Veronica, and her siblings Teresa, Bruce, Byron, Ramona, Brent, Brad, and Basil.

Though our Joanie’s time on Earth seems much too short, she was overjoyed with the time she was given. She navigated a lifelong heart condition and believed she would have been lucky to reach the age of fifty. She never complained, though; instead, she chose to seek out and celebrate life’s simple, humble joys.

Much about Joanie was humble. She was a kind, selfless woman who radiated love and compassion towards all she met. She never asked for recognition, and when she received it she would downplay her role. She loved little children, especially babies, and spent most of her life taking care of them. As her family got older, her attention shifted from young children to aging adults; Joanie helped care for both of her parents, her mother-in-law, and loved ones as they battled illnesses, afflictions, and struggles. She always made sure to pray for them. Her nightly prayers also extended to friends and causes from her Cor Jesu prayer line.

When Joanie wasn’t taking care of others, she loved spending time with her husband. Going for walks with the family dog, winding drives through the mountains, and simply chatting about their days were some of her favorite ways to pass the time with him. She also enjoyed helping her daughter with things big and small and doing puzzles. The final puzzle she was working on was a beautiful Christmas scene entitled “A Touch of Heaven.”

All of “The Original Nine” siblings spent a good deal of time with each other. Joanie so enjoyed getting to see her siblings and their families or talk to them on the phone. She loved all of her siblings so much, and she had a particularly sweet bond with her “sisters, sisters.”

Joanie’s greatest joy, however, was serving her church and church community. She was a Catholic her whole life, and possessed an uncommon love for Jesus and his teachings.

Though she will be greatly missed, her actions and impact will echo through her community in quiet, humble ways. And as we remember her with love in our hearts, we also remember the great credo Joanie always held, one she exemplified by her life: “Do small things with great love”—Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

There will be a vigil for Joanie at Horan and McConaty (11150 E Dartmouth Ave, Aurora, CO 80014) on Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 4-8 PM with a rosary at 5 PM. A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Loreto Catholic Parish (18000 E Arapahoe Rd, Aurora, CO 80016) on Monday, October 5. A rosary will be said for her at 10 AM and the mass will begin at 10:30. A burial service at Bennett Cemetery in Bennet, CO (3724-3750 Kiowa-Bennett Rd, Bennett, CO 80102 (located just south of 38th Avenue) will follow at 2:30 PM.