On May 13, 2009, with her loving and devoted daughters by her side, Mrs. Joan Greenwood Cardwell quietly slipped away in comfort and peace. Mrs. Cardwell was born on January 1, 1936 to the late Fronia Elizabeth Millner Greenwood and the late Joseph Jackson Greenwood, in Winston-Salem, NC. She was the eldest of six children. On August 21, 1962, Joan married Charles A. Cardwell, Jr., her devoted husband of forty-eight years. Joan and Charles had twin daughters, Charlita and Chareba.
Though Joan is an accomplished woman in her own right, she was most proud of her daughters. Her pride in her daughters was evident to all who met her and her greatest ambitions were not for herself, but for her daughters and grandchildren, Brandon and Bailey. Joan considered motherhood a divine gift, embraced it with gusto and set out to secure every opportunity for her children, even when doing so required great sacrifice.
Joan also had high hopes and great expectations of the students of Carver High School where she worked for over thirty years. Not only did Joan nurture students' desires and dreams, she also provided a steady hand and encouraged them to adopt a high standard of excellence for themselves. Through her kindheartedness, care, concern, good deeds, high style and special way of doing things, Joan became an institution within an institution.
Joan was very passionate about style and fashion. She was even more passionate about education and voting as the means to elevate both one's individual position as well as that of entire communities. She was a social visionary and seldom viewed the world in pedestrian terms or accepted the status quo.
Joan tirelessly gave of herself to countless organizations, including the Winston-Salem Urban League Guild; National Council of Negro Women, Inc.; National Women of Achievement, Inc.; Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.; Black Political Action League; Friends of the Library; National Black Theatre Festival; Ruth Missionary Group; Women's Progressive Club; Society for the Study of Afro-American History in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, Inc.; American Lung Association of NC, Northwestern Region; A. Philip Randolph Institute; League of Women Voters of W-S/Forsyth County and Ebony Fashion Fair. She was a Forsyth County Precinct Chairman, served on the Forsyth County Democratic Executive Committee and was honored as the 2006 Forsyth County Democratic Woman of the Year. In 1979, she became the first woman appointed to the Forsyth County Board of Elections and later became the longest-standing Chair of that Board.
Joan is survived by a host of family and friends, including husband, Charles A. Cardwell, Jr.; daughters, Charlita Cardwell, Esq. (Martez) and Chareba Buckhannon (Michael); grandchildren, Brandon Buckhannon and Bailey Buckhannon; sisters, Janie Greenwood Harris, Esq. and Jean E. Strunk (William); brothers, James G. Greenwood, Jerry W. Greenwood and John T. Greenwood, Esq.; nephews, Vander E. Harris, Jr. (Sharhonda), Jason Greenwood Harris (Saran), Jerry W. Greenwood, Jr., Thomas Vernon Greenwood (Sheila), Daryl C. Shuler (Daphne) and Anthony V. Johnson (Brandi); nieces, Janie Catherine Greenwood, Elisa Nicole Greenwood, Elizabeth Ashley Strunk, Sherry Greenwood Leak and Rachael LaDonna Greenwood; lifelong friends, Ida Cathey, Velma Friende and Annie Pearl Wilson; many friends of long-standing; and numerous other relatives.
Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon Monday, May 18, 2009 at First Baptist Church, 700 Highland Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC with Reverend Darryl Aaron officiating. The family visitation will be held at 11:00 AM until 12Noon on Monday at the Church.