Rev. Joan G. Spangler, 71, of Bethlehem passed away on April 18 at home surrounded by her family. She was the daughter of William Brudereck, Wyomissing, and the late Evelyn Grier Brudereck. Joan was the wife of Donald Spangler. The couple celebrated 49 years of marriage on March 22. After graduating from Governor Mifflin High School, Shillington PA where she was a majorette and played field hockey, she received her BS in secondary education from Shippensburg University. A stay at home mom, Joan volunteered as a Girl Scout Leader and spent many summers co-directing summer camp at Brainerd Presbyterian Center. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem where she served as deacon, elder and on the church’s Pastoral Care Team. She was active in Youth Ministry and in Mission, where she and Don did short term mission trips to Africa, Asia, South America, Central America, and the South Pacific. She worked for 25 years in the Youth Services Department of the Bethlehem Area Public Library before retiring in 2010. During her tenure at the library she heard God’s call to ministry and graduated from Palmer Seminary of Eastern University with a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies in 2004, and a Masters of Divinity in 2010. She was Ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She served as Pastor of the First United Methodist Presbyterian Church, Ashland, PA. She loved spending time with her family, especially her 7 grandchildren. She enjoyed the outdoors, especially her family’s annual summer vacations to Diamond Beach, New Jersey, and to camp on an island on Newboro Lake, Ontario, her favorite place. Her loving and gentle spirit will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Survivors: husband, Donald; father; her daughters, Jodi Wycherley (husband Ken) and Amy Dillman (husband William) all of Bethlehem; son Mark (wife Carline), of Conshohocken; brother Arthur (wife Carol) of Sinking Spring; sister, Jeri Piccolo (husband Nick), of Alma, Michigan; Aunt Betty Lashbrook of Seattle; grandchildren Alison, Ryan, and Colin Wycherley; Nathan Levy; Max Dillman, all of Bethlehem; Julien and Willow Spangler, of Conshohocken; nine cousins; seven nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her mother, two uncles and one aunt.

Services: A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 pm on Sunday, April 30 at The First Presbyterian Church Bethlehem, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18017.

Contributions: In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to mission scholarships for youth and adults at The First Presbyterian Church Bethlehem (ECO) and the Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research, 1111 Stewart Ave., Bethpage, NY 11714