Joan Reis

Joan Reis died on September 21. She was born in St Louis, the first of two children of Sue and Jim Hatton.

Soon after the birth of her first child Dave, Joan and her first husband Vince Schulte moved to Springfield, Illinois. When her fourth child Julie was in kindergarten Joan started her career in residential real estate as an agent, which led to a very successful career owning her own real estate brokerage, and ultimately, becoming a developer with her own construction company. In Springfield, Joan was also active in Planned Parenthood and equal rights for women and despite having had all four of her children by age twenty-five and a career, Joan managed to graduate from the University of Illinois, Springfield, and in two years.

In 1980, Joan relocated to San Francisco and began a new career in commercial real estate leasing with Cushman Wakefield which was very successful, and in 1984 was retained to find a large amount of office space by a firm for whom Morgan Reis, who became her husband in 1989, was the CFO. Joan gave up “my beautiful Nob Hill apartment” and relocated to Marin County where she took on the challenge of being stepmother to Morgan’s two sons, Morgan having been a single parent. Joan retired from commercial leasing in 1990.

During their twenty seven year marriage Joan planned and orchestrated the extensive remodeling of three homes and the complete rebuilding of a fourth, as Morgan experienced an “itch” every seven years that led from San Rafael, Ca. to Belvedere, Ca. to Calistoga, Ca. and to Montecito. During the Napa and Montecito years Joan was very active in Master Gardeners and also planned and executed large gardens at their homes in both locations.

In Santa Barbara Joan was very active with the Music Academy of the West Women’s Auxiliary and attended many of the Academy’s concerts and master classes.

Joan is survived by her four children: Dave, Pete, Therese and Julie and their families, including eight grandchildren, by her stepsons, Josh and Alex Reis, by her husband Morgan Reis and by her brother Ron and his family, and by many friends.

A celebration of her life will be take place on November 19, when her widely dispersed family are all able to come to Santa Barbara.