Joan Snyder Mitchell, age 66, passed away peacefully in her home on Oct. 7.
Joan was born Dec. 1, 1956, to Robert and Renee (Averett) Snyder in Provo, Utah. Joan was one of eight children. She graduated from Springville High School in 1975.
Joan had two boys who were the lights of her life, Ronnie “Brian” Knotts and Casey Robert Knotts. Joan married the love of her life, Gordon Mitchell, on Aug. 28, 1981.
Gordon, Joan and their boys moved to Wyoming in 1988 to work on the Antelope Run Ranch.
Joan and Karen Taylor started an upholstery business, J&K Upholstery, in 1992 and worked together until 1998.
In 1994, Joan took over coaching the Big Piney cheerleading team and created a coed team, which she coached until 2001. During her time as coach, they took home several state championships. Both Brian and Casey were part of the cheerleading team while they were in high school.
In 2001, Joan was hired as the director of the Southwest Sublette County Pioneers Senior Citizen Center. She held this position until she retired in December 2021.
Since retiring, Joan spent her time traveling around the state taking pictures of sporting events, prom, homecoming, fair and community events for the people of Sublette County. Joan loved supporting the kids and wanted the parents to be able to watch and have memories of their kids instead of watching them through a lens. Auntie Joan’s Sport Shots is a well-known Facebook page across the county. Her pictures have been featured on WyoPreps and she had several invitations to take pictures at state events.
Joan is survived by her brothers, Ron (Brenda), Russell (Donna), Kent (Doreen), Rick and Reed (Anna), and her two boys Brian (Brittany) Knotts and Casey (Amy) Knotts, and five grandchildren, Zachary and Brooklynn Maxam, Charlie, Keslie and Tylynn Knotts.
She is preceded in death by her Mom and Dad, husband Gordon, brother Bill Snyder and sister Judy Fowler.
A celebration of life will take place at the Sublette County Fairgrounds on Oct. 20 at 11 a.m., followed by a dedication at the Plainview Cemetery. Please join us back at the fairgrounds for a meal following the dedication.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Sublette County Health Foundation (online or mail checks to P.O. Box 627, Pinedale, WY 82941) in memory of Joan Mitchell.
*Editor’s note: The Pinedale Roundup and Sublette Examiner are honored to have featured hundreds of Joan Mitchell’s photos over the years. Our editorial team is planning a special tribute to Mitchell to appear in the Oct. 19 edition of the Roundup.
