Joan (Rudrow) Kaplan
Mar 31, 1951 - Jul 8, 2013
Posted by Janet Laubhan Flickinger

http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/

Joan Rudrow Kaplan passed away July 8, 2013 in her Norman home surrounded by her loving family and listening to her favorite vinyl records.

Born in Baltimore on March 31, 1951, Joan lived in Maryland through her college years. Joan graduated cum laude from Western Maryland College in 1973 with a degree in Sociology. Joan met her husband, Steve, during her freshman year and shortly after her graduation, they married at the Little Baker Memorial Chapel on campus. Together they had two children, Seth and Sara, and resided in several places before making their home in Norman, Oklahoma in 1989.

From 1989 to 2006, Joan was an integral part in managing the Kaplan family business, which operated ten Subway Sandwich shops. After selling that business, Joan and Steve helped their daughter and son-in-law launch a new family business, Native Roots Market in 2007. Throughout her business career, Joan was very involved in the Norman community and served on numerous boards and organizations including Passports, NWEN, Altrusa International, the Norman Chamber of Commerce and the Sooner Rotary Club.

Joan traveled the world, preferably by cruise ship, visiting museums and galleries during travels abroad. She was always planning her next trip to the beach where she thoroughly enjoyed crab night with her family. When Joan was home she could always be found in the yard or by the pool with her family, including dogs or watching Property Brothers on HGTV. A bargain hunter, she always looked fabulous after a trip to Dillards. Joan was a voracious reader who remembered every detail and challenged her memory often during trivia matches at any opportunity. An annual tradition around the holidays, according to Joan, was to watch It’s A Wonderful Life, to her family’s dismay.

Joan was preceded in death by her father, William P. Rudrow.

She is survived by her husband, Steve Kaplan; her mother, Mary Rudrow of Baltimore, MD; her son, Seth Kaplan & daughter-in-law, Toni; her daughter, Sara Kaplan and her son-in-law, Matt Runkle; her beloved only grandchild, Stella Runkle; her siblings and their spouses, Sue and Drew Carlson of Ellicott City, MD, Bill and Patty Rudrow of Baltimore, MD, Beth and Mark Peed of King George, VA; her mother-in law, Helen Kaplan, her brothers-in-law and their wives, Randy and Andrea Kaplan and Russ and Emily Kaplan, all of Norman and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to the Rotary Foundation.

Visitation will be Thursday, July 11 beginning at noon and continuing with the family from 6:00-8:00 PM at Havenbrook Funeral Home, 3401 Havenbrook Street, Norman, OK. Services will be held Friday, July 12 at 2:00 PM also at Havenbrook.

Arrangements for Joan and her family were placed in the care of the Vice family at the Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman. Online condolences may be shared at havenbrookfuneralhome.com