Joan Mitchell Farrell

Heaven's crowds have grown with another blessed soul.  After several years of dealing with Alzheimer's dementia, Joan Mitchell Farrell, 83, of Columbus OH, quietly passed away on Tuesday evening, May 19th, 2026 just in time to join her husband Brian to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Born and raised on the westside of Columbus, Joanie graduated from St. Joseph Academy and earned a bachelor's degree from the College of St. Mary of the Springs (now known as Ohio Dominican University) before going on to work for many years at Ohio Bell telephone company.  After retirement she went back to work selling furniture at Sofa Express and then Front Room Furnishings.  With kindness and compassion, she always thought of those around her, she baked the best chocolate chip cookies ever, and she always set a good table.

Joanie was truly one of the most servant-hearted people the world has ever known as she spent her life putting others first.  This remarkable woman, with generosity of spirit and an epic kindness of heart, somehow found the courage to marry a widower with nine (yes 9!) children and enriched it immensely by having three more to join the adventure. As the mother now in charge of these twelve, she set an amazing example. She made sure to put family first. She was also way too excited on the first day of school when she would come into the room singing her “School Days” song. If it was anywhere near lunchtime, a sandwich would appear and was served with chips, always chips, lest you go hungry. You were forced to do your best and you better never mention you couldn’t do something because she would be right there to tell all her children, “Farrells don’t say can’t, they try harder!” She ironed every article of clothing you were going to wear, and she wrapped every gift at Christmas, hundreds of them, perfectly every time. If you were new to this family, you were happily accepted and treated as if you were always one of her own; you were required to share a meal, but you got to go first in the line for food. Her biggest joy other than motherhood was her grandchildren. She attended so many of their events and celebrated their triumphs and accomplishments.  Somehow when Joanie was babysitting her grandchildren, rules about the amount of candy allowed and the suggested bedtime disappeared. You also better believe if there was a grandbaby near, you didn’t have to worry about a thing because that baby was being held, fed, cared for, and loved by one of the best grandmothers in the world. Joanie loved to meet and talk with everyone and would strike up a conversation with anyone. She was always a hard worker both in the home and outside of it and was a trailblazer in the business field, becoming a manager at a time women were not usually doing those jobs. Retirement felt like she wasn’t doing enough or meeting enough new people, so she went back to work for another twenty years. If you were sick, she was there to take care of you. If you needed to talk to someone, she was a great listener. Joanie demonstrated what kindness, patience, faith, selflessness, and love truly means.  

She is preceded in death by her husband Brian Farrell, parents Arthur and Jane Mitchell, sister Janice (Marvin) Lisle, brothers Daniel Mitchell and Jerome Mitchell, brothers-in-law Mark Montgomery and Ronald Drake, stepdaughter Megan DeVendra, and grandson Noah Hummer.  She is survived by her stepdaughters Stacie Farrell, Kristin (Mark) Farrell-Logsdon, Erin (Thomas) Rogers, Tara (Matthew) Hummer, stepsons Brian Farrell, Todd Farrell, Darren (Samantha) Farrell, and Mark (Amy) Farrell, daughter Molly (Jesse) Farrell, sons Shane (Cassandra) Farrell and Matthew (Kathleen) Farrell, son-in-law John (Elaine) DeVendra, sisters Martha Montgomery, Patricia (John) Stofira, and Joyce (Richard) Janczak, brothers Mark (Catherine) Mitchell, Stephen (Pamela) Mitchell, Martin (Colleen) Mitchell, and Paul Mitchell, sisters-in-law Nancy Mitchell and Sharon Michell, eleven granddaughters, twelve grandsons, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Joanie received excellent care at the Villas at Saint Therese assisted living and from Ohio's Hospice of Central Ohio, and her family would like to extend their gratitude.

Visitation will be held at Egan-Ryan NW Funeral Home on Tuesday June 16th 2026 from 4-7pm.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Immaculate Conception Church on Wednesday June 17th 2026 at 10:30am with burial to follow at Resurrection Cemetery.

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