Prapha Joann Newgard

Prapha "Joann" Newgard, 79 year old resident of Little Falls, MN died Tuesday, March 15 at the St. Cloud Hospital. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday, March 25 at 7:00 P.M. at First Lutheran Church in Little Falls. A visitation will be held from 5:30 PM until the hour of the service on Friday at the church.

Prapha "Joann" Newgard was born on November 10, 1942 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand to Kard & Klib Ratanaburi. She grew up and attended school in Thailand until the eighth grade. She learned everything else from hands on experience. Prapha learned how to read, write and speak English from watching TV. She met the love of her life, John Severt Newgard in Thailand and they were married on April 7, 1976 in Thailand. Together they had two children. The couple lived in several countries and states during John's military career. Prapha loved many things. She enjoyed traveling, gardening with her green thumb, reading, Japanese punch art, cooking, especially her egg rolls, sewing, crocheting, and spending time with family and friends. She loved making people laugh and helping anyone when they needed a hand. Joann was dearly loved, and she will be greatly missed.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Tina Anderson of Little Falls, Tony Newgard of Little Falls, Sitthiporn (Jiamjit) Yodmanee of Thailand, Nittaya (JB Lousher) Yodmanee of Johannesburg, South Africa; siblings, Nikorn (Kanokwan) Ratanaburi of Thailand, Sakorn (Prasit) Srikwan of Thailand; 9 grandchildren, Mathias and Madeline Anderson, Pannaphan, Ponchatoula and Pantawan Yodanee, Alongon Srirat, Manita Kanaupra, Sarayuth and Chatchai Yodmanee; one great-grandchild and 6 nieces and nephews, Ong-Art Ruxgprayoon, Sasigorn, Karan and Konrawan Ratanaburi, Nitipong and Piyaphat Srikwan.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Newgard; parents, Klib and Kard Ratanaburi; brother, Nu-Goon Ratanaburi, son, Siriyut Yodmanee.

Emblom Brenny Funeral Service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Prapha.

320-632-4393.