Photo credit: personal photo
By Alyssa Landis ‘26
Joanne Landis lived a life defined by service. Helping others wasn’t an occasional occurrence but it was a daily heart posture for her. No matter what responsibilities she had or where she was, her selflessness always made an appearance.
Ever since she was a little girl she always knew she wanted to be an industrial art teacher. Growing up on a farm, Joanne could often be found tinkering with her tools. Her love of projects walked beside her throughout her schooling at Conestoga Valley. Then, in 1959, Joanne graduated in the first class at Conestoga Valley High School with honors. She then went on to Millersville to achieve her dream.
“I was so excited when I got through college and I could finally reach my goal of training to be a teacher,” Landis said.
For Joanne, teaching wasn’t just a job but it was another opportunity to serve the people around her.
Joanne went on to explain that because she was studying a male dominated major she was the only girl in her class. She kept one Bible verse close to her heart through her years at Millersville University. Joanne recited the verse Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Then at the age of 22, she married Paul Landis. She met Paul when she was 18 at Mellinger Mennonite church. They attended a youth group together. He was president of their youth group and she was secretary.
“I kept being his secretary all my life,” Landis said. “Started out as his secretary in a church youth group.”
Photo credit: personal photo
Around the fifth year of Joanne’s teaching, Paul was called to pastor Tidings of Peace Church in York. He was then called later to pastor in New Jersey. Since Paul was the pastor, the people of the church believed that Joanne should be committed full time to assist him. After a lot of thought and prayer she then decided to quit teaching and commit herself to the church and her kids.
“I knew already when I was 12 that I wanted to be an industrial art teacher. It was so fulfilling,” Landis said. “I can still remember the feeling I had. I was so fulfilled by it, and yet people at that church made me feel like I was doing wrong to see my own career. It’s sad in some ways.”
Even though Joanne’s dream was to always be a teacher, she gave up her career to help others who would otherwise be turned away in her community. Even though she gave up her initial dream, to this day she is still proud of the church community that she and her husband created together.
“I’ve heard already that the church should be a hospital, a hospital for people in need, and that’s the type of church we had,” Landis said. “It was open to anyone and of course, they would come, and they’d have their problems.”
While serving alongside her husband, Joanne and her family brought in people and cared for them. People who needed a home would camp in their yard and live in their house. They welcomed everyone they came in contact with, with open arms and encouraging words.
While there are numerous empowering stories of the love they gave to people, there were also dangerous situations Joanne and her family were put in. One day after Joanne had pulled into her driveway,, a neighbor who had been renting from them approached her with a gun. He held it to her head in front of her 12-year-old daughter. Thankfully, the police were called and came in time. Joanne later found that the gun was in fact loaded with illegal bullets that when puncturing the skin send fragments throughout the whole body. After the man was put in jail, months later he was allowed to make one phone call and he decided to call Joanne. Joanne chuckled as she explained the story about the phone call.
“He was allowed one phone call out of prison and he called me to ask if I would buy him underwear for Christmas,” Landis exclaimed.
She then continued to explain that she did in fact buy him underwear and dropped it off for him. She explains that even though he wronged her it had always been engrained in her to love her enemies.
No matter the severity of the situation Joanne still showed selflessness and love to everyone around her.
As Joanne got older, her two sons became her top priority. They both have struggled with mental health since they were teens. One struggling with schizophrenia and the other with bipolar disorder. At the age of 83 she still continues to provide and care for them within her home. When asked what she hopes people understand about families with mental illness, she explained the challenges and hardships along with the rewards.
“Well, they’re real people, and they need love and acceptance. You have to learn to accept them the way they are,” Joanne explained. “It’s hard to do that. I wish they could live like anybody else, but when that happens you have to learn to love and accept them the way they are and not be afraid to talk to them.”
Joanne did not serve people for acknowledgement and praise but because God called her to be his hands and feet. The way she lives her life reminds us that true impact is quiet and rooted in love.
Looking back on Joanne’s life and the hardships she faced, she concluded the interview by saying, “If you have a strong faith, you realize that God has given you that situation for a reason and that he will carry you through.”
