Joan McGrath Proud, a resident of The Villages, FL, died Friday, September 23, 2016 at Freedom Pointe Assisted Living facility. Joan previously resided in Naples, Florida, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois and Rochester, New York.
Born in 1928 in Rochester, New York, Joan attended Saint Salome’s Elementary School, then later graduated from John Marshall High School. Following her graduation, Joan went to work at Eastman Kodak. In 1948 Joan married the love of her life, Jim Proud – they were married for 68 years and raised eight children.
Once her children got older, Joan realized one of her dreams – to attend college. She attended Union County College in New Jersey pursuing a degree in library science. She was an avid reader and crossword puzzle solver. Joan was accomplished at both golf and tennis during this time and she became a “wiz” at bridge.
One of the most distinctive things about Joan was her winning smile. Especially during her long illness, nearly everyone admired and enjoyed the way her smile brightened up their day.
Joan’s faith was always important to her – in the various Catholic parishes she belonged to, she worked as a Eucharistic minister, lector, Marriage Encounter volunteer and CCD teacher.
But Joan’s volunteering was not limited to church activities. Wherever there was a need, she would be there to pitch in and help. Some of her volunteer activities included counseling at a crisis pregnancy center, serving on the Foster Care Review Board, and one of her favorites, volunteering at the David Lawrence Center’s Encore shop in Naples, Florida. After moving to The Villages, she enjoyed volunteering at The Villages Public Library with Jim.
Joan is survived by her husband Jim, her sister, Justine Compo and six of her children; Christine (Donald) Payton of Oviedo, Florida, Kathleen (John) Passantino of Chatham Township, New Jersey, James (Sandy) Proud of Rochester, New York, Patricia
(Reid) Burke of Summerfield, Florida, Jennifer (Geoffrey) Mearns of Fort Thomas, Kentucky, Joanne “Micki” (Cas) Pouderoyen of Madison, New Jersey. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
She is pre-deceased by two of her children, Mary and Margaret, her sisters, Mary Stoffel, Catherine Schepp and Roberta Best; and her brother, James McGrath.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made to Cornerstone Hospice, 601 Casa Bella, The Villages, FL 32162.
A Catholic mass will be said for Joan on Friday, September 30, 2016 at 8:30am at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church in The Villages and a Memorial Gathering following at 10 am at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, 1511 Buenos Aires Blvd., The Villages, Florida.