Joan "Joanie" Rogers Medina of San Antonio, Texas, passed away at the age of 62 years on September 16, 2024. Joanie, as everyone knew her, grew up in Hondo, Texas, where she was born on February 17, 1962.

Joanie attended school in Hondo and graduated from Hondo High School in 1980, where she participated in the band, volleyball and tennis. Her next destination would be Austin, Texas where she attended The University of Texas from 1980 to 1982. She went on to study nursing at the University of Texas School of Nursing in San Antonio and graduated with the Class of 1985.

As part of her nursing education, she worked as a nurse's aid at Christus Children's Hospital. When she finished school and became a Registered Nurse she continued to work at Christus Children's Hospital in various units. Some of the units that she worked in were; Pediatric Orthopedic and Surgical Unit, Pediatric Oncology, and Pediatric Day Surgery and Outpatient Services. During this time, she obtained certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Chemotherapy and Conscious Sedation. She was instrumental in helping to start up the Pediatric Conscious Sedation Program. Joanie also worked closely with the Titanium Rib Program which was the first of its kind in the nation. It offered life changing surgeries for children who suffered from rib deformities. Those children came from all over the world.

Joanie loved working with the children that were in the cancer unit. There were many weekends that she would come home but never left the house because she was worried about one of her patients and wanted to be able to head back to the hospital should one of them be in crisis. Several of the parents of the children that she worked with told us that when their children were in crisis or had unfortunately passed on, Joanie was just as upset as they were or more. Joanie became a sought-after resource nurse, especially by families that had children undergoing treatments for cancer. She definitely made a difference in the lives of not only the children but their families as well.

After Joanie retired from nursing, she went to work for Laurel Ridge Hospital. She worked in the female adolescent psychiatric unit. In addition to working with the girls, she would provide additional resources such as clothing, toiletries and any other items that might make their stay more pleasant. Because of her love of children, Joanie also taught an early childhood class at Community Bible School and worked as a chaperone and a small group leader for their summer camps.

In 1988, Joanie met the love of her life, Johnny Medina. They started dating and within two years were united in marriage. On October 5,1990, we welcomed Johnny into our family and I'm not sure that he knew what he was getting into. Joanie and Johnny shared almost 34 years of married life. During that time, they had two children. Colby was born on November 17, 1991 and then followed Chloe, who was born on September 22, 1994.

On the morning of September 16th, Joanie left us to be with the Lord and to be reunited with her family that had gone before her. She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Oma and Bailey Rogers and G.O. and Winnie Braden; her parents, Jimmy and Inell Rogers; and her brother-in-law, Royce Hartmann.

She is survived by her loving husband Johnny; father- and mother-in-law, Carlos and Rita Medina; sister-in-law, Loreen (David) Rodriguez; children, Colby (Sofi) Medina and Chloe (David) Buffington; two grandchildren, Sage and Cypress, whom Joanie absolutely adored; sisters, Susie (Tom Tompkins) Hartmann and Sandy (Bob) Ross; seven nieces, four nephews and five great-nieces and -nephews.

Joanie was a loving, caring daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother who loved her family dearly and will certainly be missed.

When she was a toddler, she came to believe that she was the "Princess" of the household and her family feels certain that she believed it until the day she left this world.

A Celebration of Life will be held at St. John's Catholic Church on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

Because of Joanie's love of children, the family asks that any memorial donations be made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Inc. at RMHC.org