Joan (Bruner) Chance, 80, beloved wife, mother, teacher, and friend, passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 13, 2025, with her devoted husband, Carl, by her side. She was the proud mother of three children - Kathy, Chris, and Julie - she cherished traveling, shopping, gardening, reading, sharing meals and laughter with family and friends. Known for her warmth, kindness, and lively conversations, Joan touched countless lives as a teacher and as a friend to all. She shared over 30 years of love and devotion with Carl, who she lovingly called her "prince."

She was preceded in death by her parents, James Edson Bruner and Dorothy Mary (Jefferies) Bruner; her sister Ardath Bruner; her brother James Bruner and his wife Aleksandra; and her sister-in-law Carolyn Chance Goodvin.

​Joan is survived by her husband Carl Chance; her children, Julie Weeks Pritchard and her husband Stephen, Kathy Weeks and her husband Tom, Chris Weeks and his wife Tiffany; Carla Chance Moncrief and her husband Rick, Karen Chance-Spradlin and her husband Robert, Tray Chance and his wife Vicki, and Rebekah Gootsan Davis and her husband Colin, as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews,  other family and friends.

She will be deeply missed and forever loved.

A Remembrance Celebration will be held at 2:00 p.m. November 1st, 2025, at the KState Research and Extension - Sedgwick County "The Sunflower Meeting Room", 7001 W. 21st St. N., Wichita, KS 67205.

Baker Funeral Home Valley Center - Condolences may be left for the family at www.bakerfhvc.com

Eulogy for my beloved Joan ...

Today, I stand here heartbroken, trying to find words big enough to honor a woman as remarkable as my wife Joan.

Joan and I spent a memorable 30 years together — three decades of building a bond so strong, it felt impermeable, unbreakable. She was the love of my life, my best friend, and my constant companion. With her passing, it feels as though a part of me has gone with her. I'm still trying to understand how to exist in a world without her in it.

Joan lived a life full of warmth, curiosity, and joy. She was a devoted mother to her three children — Kathy, Chris, and Julie — who were the light of her life. She loved traveling with them, shopping with them, sharing meals and laughter, and making memories that will last forever.

She was a teacher, not just by profession, but in the way she approached life — always eager to learn, to listen, and to share. She could strike up a conversation with anyone, and before long, they felt like an old friend. She was an avid reader, and her passion for gardening was unmatched — she could make anything grow, and she nurtured people the same way she nurtured her plants: patiently, lovingly, and with care.

Joan was full of sugar and everything nice — and every now and then, just the right amount of spice. Especially when it came to politics, she loved to spark deep, meaningful conversations. Even when her opinions were strong, her heart was always in the right place — she wanted connection, understanding, and truth.

She always called me her "prince." She said it because I would do anything for her — cook for her, care for her, love her completely. But the truth is, she was my queen. I put her first because she made my world brighter, happier, and full of love.

On September 13th, Joan passed away peacefully in her sleep, with me by her side, holding her and loving her as I always have. In her final moments, she thanked me for all the good times we had and smiled as she said, "What an adventure this is going to be — finding out what happens after life when I transfer into death."

That was Joan — brave, thoughtful, and full of wonder until the very end.

I will love her forever. I will carry her with me in everything I do. And though my heart is shattered right now, I know that the love we shared is eternal.

Thank you, Joan, for loving me. Thank you for every moment. You will always be my everything.

Love, Carl