Joan Sullivan

El-Khatib

Glen Carbon, IL — Joan Sullivan El-Khatib, 88, of North Carolina and Illinois and formerly of O'Neill, died peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 at Eden Village Care Center in Glen Carbon, IL surrounded by her loving family.

Visitation will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025 at the church in O'Neill. Fr. Bernard Starman will officiate.

Burial will be in the O'Neill Cemetery in O'Neill.

Memorials may be made to the family for future designation.

Weber and Rodney Funeral Home in Edwardsville, IL and Biglin's Mortuary locally in O'Neill are in charge of the arrangements.

Joan Sullivan El-Khatib, born on Aug. 9, 1936, in O'Neill, passed away peacefully on Jan. 30, 2025, in Edwardsville, IL surrounded by her loving family.

Joan attended O'Neill St. Mary's Catholic School and graduated in 1954. After high school, she moved to Omaha, where she worked as a secretary.  

In 1959, she married Shukri El-Khatib in Oklahoma City, OK. Joan supported her husband's academic pursuits by working in various clerical positions in Houston, College Station, Texas and Memphis, TN, while he earned his master's and PhD in biochemistry.

In 1973, the family relocated to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Joan worked at the private school her children attended and dedicated herself to raising her family for 18 years. In 1991, she returned to the mainland to be closer to her family and to care for her sisters during their illnesses. She spent most of her later years in North Carolina, working as a house mother for AOPi and as a caregiver for the elderly.

Joan was an active member of her local Catholic Church and cherished her time playing card games and Dominos with friends. She was known for her selfless dedication to her children, grandchildren, friends and family, always offering help with a joyful heart.  

Joan loved cooking and baking - always eager to share her delicious creations and join in the celebrations – and enjoyed relaxing with a good book and an ice-cold glass of sun tea!

Joan's legacy of love, kindness and dedication will be cherished by all who knew her. She will be deeply missed.

Joan is survived by her brother Jim (Nola) Sullivan; her son Issam (Tina); two daughters Hala (James) Taylor and Mona (Jorge) Martinez; 13 grandchildren Kaleb (Angelique) El-Khatib, Kacey, Alyya, Ayden and Alyck El-Khatib, Zackary, Joshua and Gabrielle Santiago, Jason and Simon Taylor and Emma, Joseph and Matthew Martinez; two great- grandchildren Atreyu El-Khatib and Roman Santiago; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents Harry and Catherine (Bobbi) Sullivan, her two sisters Rose Prouty and Jean Sullivan Hopkins and her daughter Runda El-Khatib.