Joan S. (Buehrer) Scouten was born Sept. 3, 1927, in Thayer, Nebraska, the daughter of Walter C. and Opal M. (Ehlers) Buehrer and passed away Nov. 20, 2024, in Seward, at the age of 97 years, 2 months and 17 days.
Joan grew up in the Thayer area, where she attended school until the end of her junior year when the school was closed. She then graduated from York High School with the Class of 1945. Joan worked at the York Hospital as a nurse aide for a year before moving to San Francisco to be with her sisters. She worked as a telephone operator. It was at a USO dance that she met her future husband, Merle Scouten. The couple was united in marriage on July 13, 1949, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Utica.
Merle was a career military man, and the couple lived in Guam and Morocco for eight years. They then made the move to Kensington, Maryland, where he worked for the National Security Agency. Joan worked as a bookkeeper for an architectural firm for many years. Merle and Joan loved playing cards, going dancing, especially square dancing. They enjoyed camping in Solomon, Maryland, and Virginia where they would sail on their boat, fish and visit friends and family around the United States. Joan was a longtime member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Silver Springs, Maryland. Merle passed away Dec. 7, 2014. Joan continued to live on her own until June of 2020, when she moved to Seward to be closer to her sister, Ruthe.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Merle; siblings, Don and Doris Buehrer, Eunice and Ken Maurer, Marion and Jean Dass and Rex Buehrer; niece and nephew, David Buehrer and Celesta Maurer.
Survivors cherishing her memory include her sister, Ruthe Reiling, Seward; sister-in-law, Pat Naber, York; six nieces and nephews, Kerry McManigal, Lincoln, Kacy Gill, Lincoln, Scott and wife Jade Buehrer, Grand Junction, Colorado, Kenny and wife, Cindi Maurer, Tennessee, Jenny Buehrer, Florida, and Carla and husband, Terry King, Norman, Oklahoma; goddaughter, Chris and husband, Vic Maconachy, Maryland; numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.
A visitation will be Monday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. at Zabka-Perdue Funeral Home, Seward. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, also at Zabka-Perdue Funeral Home with Pastor David Rempfer officiating. Graveside and Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. John Lutheran Church. Arrangements by Zabka-Perdue Funeral Home.
