Josephine Anna (Hacker) Lindquist Sybenga, May 7, 1936 – June 22, 2024

"Jo" had a love of learning, which continued throughout 88 years of life, taking her on worldwide travels and spreading her knowledge, skills and love across multiple platforms.

Born and raised in Templeton, Walcott and Lidderdale, Iowa, Jo graduated high school from St. Angela Academy. The University of Iowa was put on hold after one semester and Jo re-entered the working world in Davenport, Iowa, where she met and married LeRoy Lindquist in 1957 and raised 6 children. Trips to the Quad City Airport, Scott County Park and the roller-skating rink kept this mom busy until, in the 1970's, she volunteered in hospice and returned to work at Home Interiors and Decorama, winning several sales awards and affording her an opportunity to visit the Philippines and Japan.

Jo earned a BA in Psychology from St Ambrose College in 1979, while working at the Iowa Commission on Aging for Senior Iowans (CASI), setting up a daycare program for the elderly.  After its success, and Jo's visit to a no drugs, no restraints nursing home in Japan, she created the first Alzheimer's daycare in Iowa with the same vision.  Lectures and support groups on the subject launched out of Jo's desire to help patients and families live a better life and spurred an MS in Counseling Education from Western Illinois University in 1982.  In 1983, Jo became Founding President of the Alzheimer's Association – Quad Cities Chapter and in 1986, Executive Director of the Quad Cities Alzheimer's Chapter, continuing to work with agencies interested in setting up programs/daycares.

In 1991, Jo moved to Hawaii to care for her grandchild and later worked with the Japanese in the Kauakini Medical Center and nursing facility, sharing and expanding her knowledge.  Her love of the islands led her to social work at the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center on Molokai, which offered a seminar trip to Zurich.  Thailand was another adventure before Jo joined her daughter in Washington, followed by a move to Sun City, Arizona where she met and married John Sybenga in 2004, who shared her love of travel and adventure until his death in 2014.  Jo was an ordained, non-denominational minister and the author of the book "I'm a Telephone," written in 2011 about her son Mark's battle with cancer.  Jo stayed in Arizona but frequently returned to Iowa to visit family and friends and in 2022 moved to Indianola, Iowa where she enjoyed reading, writing and spending time with her grandchildren.

Jo is preceded in death by her son Mark Lindquist, husband John Sybenga, parents Anna and Henry Hacker, sister Marlys, and brothers Don and Hank.

Those left to cherish her memory are two sisters, Bev (Gary) Hartman, Marilyn (Don) Spies; five children, Kathie Lindquist, Mitch Lindquist, Amy Lindquist, LeAnn (Daryl) Lindquist-Thome, and Heidi (Jon) Nelson; twelve grandchildren, Justin (Denise) Garcia, Lee (Randi) Lindquist, Lynn (Richard Bryce) Lindquist, Mariah, Zachary and Marcus Black, Nikitta (Cristian Rodriguez) Black, Devon and Daniel Thome, Taylor (Dakota) Rodgers, Owen and Ella Nelson; four great-grandchildren, Ayumi Garcia, Emmett Lindquist, Alexander Bryce, Rynn Rodgers and Adeline Josephine Rodriguez (arrival in November); step-children, Dave (Susan) Sybenga and John Sybenga; and step-grandchildren, Sondra and Jamestic.

Jo had an unexpected but peaceful passing.  A location and date for her Celebration of Life will be forthcoming.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Josephine to Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines.