Joan T. Babinski

Joan Babinski was born in Lankin, ND in 1935, the youngest of twelve children. She died Monday, January 19, 2026 after almost four years of excellent care by all the staff at the Lodge in Post Falls. Joan met John “Jack” Babinski at a local dance in Lankin. They were married in Grand Forks in 1955 in a wedding officiated by her brother Matthew who was a priest in Chicago at the time. The next day, they left for Laredo, TX where Jack was stationed at Hondo AFB as a pilot.

Joan loved her family. She and Jack both enjoyed spending time visiting all their relatives back in North Dakota. Since Jack was in the Air Force, they were stationed at Hondo AFB in Laredo, TX; Stillwater, OK; Eglin AFB, FL; Patrick AFB, FL; Vandenberg AFB, CA; and Norton AFB, CA before Jack retired. Every summer, they would take a trip with all the kids up to North Dakota.

Joan was an accomplished seamstress who made many outfits for all seven of her children. Later, she began selling craft items at a consignment store in Redlands, CA called the Sunshine Tree. After Jack retired, they moved to Careywood, ID where they had a terradome house built on land they bought in the mountains overlooking Lake Pend Oreille. She and Jack became regulars at all the local craft shows, some as far away as Montana. She made all kinds of decorative and creative stuffed animals, aprons, skirts made from old jeans, vests and stockings made from old ties, and numerous other useful items that she created from scratch. Her thriving business was called “Sewn by Joan.”

Joan continued to keep in touch with family, making numerous trips with Jack to North Dakota and to see their children and grandchildren in California. She was also an excellent cook who taught her children about nutrition. She and her sister Trudy organized several family reunions for descendants of Albert and Mary Herda and created a family cookbook including old photos of their parents and siblings.

Joan was predeceased by her parents, her husband Jack of 59 years, all her siblings, many cousins, and some nieces and nephews. She is survived by her children: Brian Babinski, Phyllis (Hilary Paul) McGuire, Nora (Chet) Lubecki, Blaise Babinski, Mary Thomas, Jennifer (Larry) Lewis, and Barbara (Fr. George) Aquaro; eight grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

There will be a Rosary at 10 am and a funeral at 10:30 am on Wednesday January 28th at Immaculate Conception Church, 495 N Lincoln St, Post Falls, followed by a burial service at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls, with a reception to follow in the church basement. The family is very grateful for all the support of the church members who came to visit and pray with her in her last days.

Arrangements and Services by English Funeral Chapel, Post Falls.