Joan Elsa Sirleaf was born Joan Elsa Phelps-Cole on September 6, 1963, in Monrovia, Liberia, to Agnes Woodson and Joseph Boayue. She was raised by Oretha E. Phelps-Cole and Samuel B. Cole.
Joan began her education at B.W. Harris in Liberia. She later moved to the United States with Oretha E. Phelps-Cole, initially making her home in New Jersey. She also spent part of her early years in the United States in Waco, Texas, before returning to New Jersey, where she attended Caldwell College.
On June 27, 1987, Joan married Charles Eugene Sirleaf in East Orange, New Jersey. The couple later moved to Georgia, where their daughters, Jenelle and Berylene, were born and raised.
Faith was an important part of Joan’s life. Raised in the Episcopal Church, she became Methodist after her marriage, and her faith remained an important source of strength throughout her life. Professionally, Joan built a career in accounting, working primarily in accounts payable and accounts receivable for many years.
Those who knew Joan knew her as a gentle and soft-spoken woman with a quiet strength. She was kind, patient and steady, and she cared deeply for the people she loved. Nowhere was Joan’s love more evident than in her relationship with her daughters. She believed in Jenelle and Berylene, encouraged their ambitions and celebrated their accomplishments. She gave them the freedom and confidence to build lives of their own while remaining a constant source of love and support.
Joan passed away on October 1, 2026, in Marietta, Georgia, at the age of 63, with her daughters by her side.
She is survived by her daughters, Jenelle Sirleaf and Berylene Sirleaf; her siblings, Harriet Woodson, Rev. Dr. Joseph Boayue Jr., Rev. Yhenpu Boayue, Rev. Irving Boayue, Dr. George Boayue, Bendu Boayue, Pawon Boayue, Julien Boayue, Kebbe Boayue, Yanay Boayue, Minisiah Boayue, Zoadah Boayue, and Miento Boayue; as well as a large extended family of relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her siblings, Granville Boayue, Maxwell R.H. Phelps, Charlotte Mae Phelps, and Luvinia Borland Cooper.
Joan will be remembered for her gentle spirit, her faith, her quiet strength and, above all, the steadfast love she gave her daughters and those closest to her.
The family of Joan Elsa Sirleaf is deeply grateful for the love, prayers, condolences, and support extended to us during this difficult time.
