Joan A. HayesDes MoinesMrs. Joan A. Hayes, 95, of Des Moines, passed away Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at her home, with her loving family by her side.Joan was born on August 10,1922 in St. Mary's Hospital in Hampstead Heath, London. She spent her childhood in southern England and then lived northwest of London, finally residing in Abbot's Langley, Berkshire in the 1930s.Joan joined John Dickinson's of London, a paper manufacturing company at age 17. She was selected to work in the art and design department when World War II broke out in 1939 and all non-essential work at Dickinson's was halted. Her teen years were spent surviving the German Air Blitz over London and joining the Women's Land Army in 1940 at the age of 18. She served her country until 1944, when she met 1st Lieutenant Robert P. Hayes, an Air Force Bomber Navigator from Villisca, Iowa. They married in October of 1944 in London. In early 1945, she and thousands war brides, immigrated to the United States. Bob and Joan made their home in rural southwest Iowa until coming to Knoxville and Des Moines in the late 1960's.Joan was an accomplished oil painter and painted her memories of England and Scotland as well as her new homeland in the Midwest. Her paintings found homes with friends, family, business associates and complete strangers across the Midwest and beyond.She studied under the Famous Artist Course of Norman Rockwell, sculptor Lincoln Fox, and naturalist and wildlife painter Randall May.Joan had a natural artistic talent and spent the majority of her time in her art studio, painting her final piece in 2016.She is survived by her son Michael J. (Norma) Hayes of St. Charles, Toinette Hayes of Des Moines; three grandchildren Michelle (Brian) Kittleson of Spencerville, Maryland, Shannon Hayes of Altoona, and Elizabeth (Wade) Thompson of Norwalk; 7 great grandchildren Devon, Brianna, Amistad, Matthew, Darian, Trinity, and Ever Sky; and brother John Fenn of Blenheim, New Zealand.She is preceded in death by her husband Robert P. Hayes, parents William and Elizabeth Fenn, and brother Les "Bill"Fenn.A celebration of life will be held on November 19, 2017 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Raccoon River Nature Lodge, 2500 Grand Avenue, West Des Moines, 50266.Memorials may be directed to Suncrest Hospice, Suite 104, 5000 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 or The Animal Rescue League of Iowa, 5452 NE 22nd St., Des Moines, Iowa 50313Online condolences can be left at www.iowafuneralplanning.com.