Joan Emily Locsin

Choosing her grandmother and our beloved Joan Emily Locsin, Mika Briscoe, an 8th grader at Hollister Prep School wrote an essay earlier this year about a hero. Mika wrote:

"What makes a hero is a person that works hard every day, helps others and the community,

and does it for the benefit of other people. A hero's actions are out of kindness toward others.

That's why my Nana, Joan Locsin is a hero. Joan works hard to teach her students piano, and she

watches them grow to be their best. While Joan works hard for her students, she is also always

helping her family.

Joan's family loved music, and she started playing piano at a very young age. It was a big part of

their life. Joan had 13 siblings and she was the oldest girl. They all loved singing, dancing and

playing music. When her parents would want them to play, she would enjoy it more, and she

eventually loved it. Joan continued to play the piano for the rest of her life. Then Joan had

three children (my mom was one of them). When Joan's children were in grade school they

had a school play. The school needed someone to play piano, so Joan volunteered. The parents

were amazed at her piano skills and some even asked her to teach their children piano lessons.

Joan also started playing piano for church and sometimes funerals and weddings. She was very

thankful that her love for music became her job. Then her grandchildren were born (including

me). We often stayed at her house and spent the night. Joan is a hero because she would

always support her children with raising us. Joan would want to watch us even if she had

lessons or needed to play piano at church. She always cared about her family, but also focused

on her students.

When Joan was asked if she considers herself a hero, she said yes. Joan would have recitals

every year for her students. She thought of herself as a hero because she would see her

students' progress and love music too. Some of Joan's students started taking lessons at ages

earlier than the first grade and are now playing in college. Joan also taught the children of her

former students. Joan considers herself a hero because she knows that she is successful as she

could see it through her students.

A hero is someone who does something courageous or something heroic, but they do it for the

benefit of other people. Joan Locsin loved her talent for music and boldly turned it into her

calling. Our Nana worked for the benefit of those other people, not herself. That is Joan

Locsin's story, the story of a real-life hero."

-Mika Briscoe

Joan Emily Locsin was born on January 5, 1953 on a kitchen table on the island of Guam. Her family moved to California when she was 14 in 1967, and they ultimately settled in San Martin. She is survived by her #1 son Phillip, her daughters Leyana and Lani Rae, and grandchildren Andre, Mika, Lily, Eligh, Noah, Irie, Jericho and Joey. She will be missed by family members, her community of faith and music, and those she's touched with her kindness, generosity, infectious laugh, and unwavering spirit.

It was her vision to make a positive contribution and impact to humanity. She lived and breathed that vision of love. She truly accentuated the positivity of life. You knew her through her lovely, colorful, all organic antioxidant / anti-inflammatory salads, the sharing of her holistic ways, in her laughter, her music, and her vibrant presence. Si Yu'us Ma'ase! Thank you, Mom for blessing us with your serenity, courage and wisdom to resume a healthy and holy life. We will tickle the kids for you and forever connect with your awesome energy. And the gift goes on. Amen, Nana! Milele-Amina, Hu Guaiya Hao, with all our hearts.

Please join us in song and prayer for an outdoor celebration of her joyous life as we honor and sing her name on Saturday, March 20, at 12:00pm at St. Catherine's Church followed by a sacred burial at Mt. Hope Cemetery. There will be a private celebration reception to follow.

It was in her wishes that we all come in jeans, barefoot with percussion!

Published in Morgan Hill Times · March 10, 2021