Joan was here…

…and while she was here, Joan was a teenaged beauty queen who grew up with her parents James and Virginia in Linden, NJ, sharing her bedroom with her Nana and her little brother George, going to the ocean at Cape May and playing pinochle with her Uncle Les.

After a long career in banking in NY state, where on weekends Joan and her husband sold their handcrafted rocking horses and dolls at regional craft fairs, she moved to Montpelier, VT, to be near her daughter Kathy Barrows. In Montpelier Joan enjoyed playing Mahjong, swimming and going to chicken pie dinners and sugar on snow parties with her new friends.

Joan loved to sing and dance and watch the birds at her feeders – cardinals were her favorite.  She especially loved romance novels and coffee ice cream.

Joan leaves behind her 5 children Kathy (Steve), Karen, Ken (Ginger), John (Laura) and Barb (Mike),14 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Ron, her brother George and her husband Jack.

Joan was a force and the care that she received at Heaton Woods was exceptionally kind and compassionate.  Joan appreciated all of her care givers.  Special thanks to Dr. Emily Jones and loyal visitor Marie, her former Meals on Wheels volunteer.

Please consider a donation to the Good Samaritan Haven (https://www.goodsamaritanhaven.org/)  in Joan’s memory as we learned from collecting Joan’s mail that she donated freely and often to many in need.

In Joan’s words: It wasn’t a bad life.

When you see a cardinal think of Joan.

A celebration of Joan’s life is planned for September 24, 2026 at 1 pm at Heaton Woods Residence, 10 Heaton St. Montpelier, VT.