YOUNGSTOWN - Joan E. Giba, 81, passed away early Friday morning, Dec. 11, 2015, at Park Vista Retirement Community, following a brief illness.

Joan began her interesting and fulfilling life on July 31, 1934, when she was born in Youngstown as the eldest daughter of the late Gregory and Mary Louise Doyle Bardon. She was a graduate of Chaney High School and was a lifelong area resident.

A certified affordable-housing manager since 1990, Joan was the project manager of International Towers, until she retired at age 75. Previously, she was an administrative assistant with the Cafaro Company for 16 years.

An extremely active professional woman, Mrs. Giba was a member of the Midwest Affordable Housing Management Association and served many terms on its board of trustees. She also has been a national affordable-housing professional executive since 1994.

Joan was extremely proud of her Irish heritage and was a member of the Ladies of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, an Irish-Catholic fraternal organization that sponsors many programs promoting Irish heritage. She served the organization as parliamentary advisor and received the LOAH 1, 2, and 3 degrees in 2005. In 2006, she was recognized as "Irish Woman of the Year" by the AOH.

She was the YWCA "Woman of the Year" in 2002 and an Athena Award nominee in 2003, and was recognized in the International Who's Who of Public Service. A member of the Yo-Mah-O Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Assistants, she was the chapter's 1997 "Secretary of the Year," and served as president of the Ohio Division.

During a four-year term on the IAAP Ohio Division Board, she spoke to inmates at Marysville Reformatory on "How to Interview with a Criminal Record," and her resource material was later used as a textbook for all students in the employability skills-area course of study.

Joan was a member of St. Christine Church in Youngstown.

Joan leaves her husband, John E. Giba, whom she married Aug. 25, 1984; a daughter, Colleen (John) Webberly of Livonia, Mich; a son, John Gillespie of Brookfield; four grandchildren, Taryn Mauti (Daniel), Sean Scane, Brendan Webberly, and Austin Webberly; a great-granddaughter, Anna; a brother, Gregory (Eileen) Bardon of Rogers; and a sister, Mary Louise Crawford of Berea.

A sister, Geraldine Perrine, is deceased.

Family and friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18, at Kinnick Funeral Home, 477 N. Meridian Rd., Youngstown.

Funeral services will begin at 9:15 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 19, at the funeral home, and will continue at St. Christine Church on South Schenley Avenue, with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 a.m.

Committal services will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Austintown.

Memorial contributions may be made in Joan's name to Catholic Charities, 144 West Wood St., Youngstown, OH  44503.