Joanne Louise LeGwin Tennille

May 26, 1943 - March 21, 2022
Joanne Louise LeGwin Tennille

Memorial Gifts & Donations


Joanne Louise LeGwin Tennille passed away March 21st, 2022 at The Commons at Brightmore.

Joanne was born May 26, 1943, to John Joseph and Louise Horton LeGwin at James Walker Memorial Hospital. She grew up in Fifth Avenue Methodist Church and attended Sunset Park Elementary & Junior High School and New Hanover High School, graduating Class of 1961.

She studied Elementary Education at Wilmington College (UNCW) and it was there that she caught the attention of a sophomore transfer moving to Wilmington from St. Petersburg, Fl. Bob and Joanne met, dated, and later married in November 1963. They were blessed to have a son, Rob, and a daughter, Leigh.

Joanne and Roxanna Barefoot Miller opened the Calico Crab Consignment gift shop in 1980 and this experience prepared her for the position of Chairman of the ‘Santa Shop’ Hospice Gift Store at the annual ‘Festival of Trees’. She and Linda Farrow ran the shop from 1982-1986, when Bob and Joanne moved to Winston Salem. When they moved to Jacksonville, FL in 1993, Joanne began volunteering with Hospice and continued until they retired and moved to the Florida Keys in 1998.

Joanne inherited her love of gardening from her mother and spent countless hours planting and landscaping their yards over the years. She was active in Harbor Island Garden Club and served as President in 1984-1985. She also was President of the New Hanover County Garden Council in 1986-1987.

Joanne and Bob spent over 40 of their 60 years together living on the water in Wrightsville Beach, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Tavernier, Florida before relocating to Tangle Oaks Marina Villa in recent years.
Joanne was Bob’s navigator and first mate on voyages from Virginia Beach to the Keys and Bahamas where she enjoyed fishing, diving, and snorkeling.

The family wishes to give special thanks to the staff of The Commons at Brightmore, Liberty Hospice, Dr. Mary Rudyk, Wrightsville United Methodist Church, friends, family, and her personal caregiver over the last years, Tonya Boulware, who became more like a third sister.

Joanne was predeceased by her parents, Joe and Louise, son Robert M. Tennille, IV, father-in-law Captain Robert M. Tennille Jr, mother-in-law Ellen A. Tennille and brothers-in-law Ernie Brown, Chris McKeithan, Tommy and David Tennille.

She is survived by her husband, Bob; daughter Leigh Tennille Hardy, husband Joel and grandson Vance; and sisters Anita (Doodle) LeGwin and Mary LeGwin McKeithan.

In lieu of flowers, donations/contributions may be made to Wrightsville United Methodist Church, The Nurture Committee, PO Box 748, 4 Live Oak Drive, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 or UNCW, The Joanne LeGwin Tennille Scholarship in Music, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, NC 28403-5990.

Please leave memories and condolences for Joanne’s family by clicking the “Post a Condolence” tab below.

Wilmington Funeral & Cremation – Wilmington Chapel – 1535 S. 41st Street Wilmington, NC 28403 910.791.9099

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