JoAnn (Buckner) Sleighter, 90, of Franklin, IN and formerly of Trafalgar, IN passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2026 at Compass Park at the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin, IN.

She was born January 16, 1936 at the family farm near Trafalgar, IN to Elmer Forest Buckner and Lillian Racine (Ragsdale) Buckner.  JoAnn married Carl Leslie Sleighter on November 26, 1954 in Hyattsville, Maryland; he preceded her in death on April 14, 2020.

JoAnn was a 1954 graduate of Trafalgar High School.

She worked alongside her husband Carl on the family farm near Trafalgar.

JoAnn was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Franklin, IN, a past member of First Christian Church in Trafalgar, IN and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 423 in Trafalgar.

She was adored by many for her warm spirit and kind heart. JoAnn and her husband Carl enjoyed spending time with their family and friends and traveling to their winter home in Venice, FL.

JoAnn was well known for her homemade noodles at many church events, a member of the church choir and a Sunday School teacher.

Survivors include her children Timothy D. Sleighter (Marcia) of Trafalgar, IN, her son-in-law Mark Brester of Franklin, IN, her grandchildren Lindsay Burks (Nick) of Franklin, IN, Connor Brester (Hannah) of Indianapolis, IN and Clayton Sleighter of Trafalgar, IN, and three great-grandchildren Grady Burks, Griffin Burks and Dawson Burks.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a daughter Kimberly Jo (Sleighter) Brester on April 17, 2025, a brother Robert Douglas "Bobby" Buckner and her sister Betty Lee (Buckner) Paris.

Pastor Bill Turner will conduct a service on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 1:30 PM at Swartz Family Community Mortuary and Memorial Center, 300 South U.S. 31 (Morton Street) in Franklin, IN and will be live-streamed at www.swartzmortuary.com/obituary/joannsleighter.

Visitation will be Thursday, April 16, 2026 from 11AM until the 1:30PM service at the mortuary.

Entombment will follow the service at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens in Greenwood, IN.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 8720 Castle Creek Parkway East Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46250 or at www.heart.org or the Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN) 5100 Charles Court, Suite 100 Zionsville, IN 46077 or at www.icandog.org.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.swartzmortuary.com.  Information 317-738-0202.