Joan Connell

Joan (Crowley) Connell, 81, of Westford, passed away at home on Wednesday, May 16, 2012, following a brief illness. Raised in Pepperell, MA, Joan was the daughter of the late Walter D. Crowley and the late Florence (Cotton) Crowley. She was the wife of retired Westford Police Chief Joseph R. Connell, with whom she celebrated their fifty-eighth wedding anniversary in 2011. Joan was a graduate of Pepperell's Clara M. Shattuck Elementary School; Pepperell High School (1948); and St. Joseph's School of Nursing, affiliated with Rivier College. As a registered nurse, Joan worked at the Boston Floating Hospital for Children, Groton Hospital, and the Westford Nursing Home. She also worked as a private-duty nurse. Later in her career, she served as Coordinator for the Respite-Care Pilot Program for the State of Massachusetts. During this time Joan established a support group for family members of Alzheimer's patients. Joan's gracious and outgoing personality served her well in her role as President and longtime member of the Westford Garden Club. Her wide and varied interests led her in all directions, from her work with the St. Catherine's Cemetery Committee to her love of bridge, a pursuit that allowed her to spend time with dear friends. In addition to her husband, Joan leaves three children: Jerilyn Connell, of Kanab, UT; Jayne Connell and her husband Jeffrey Duban, of New York City; Judith Connell and Alexander Rucko-Scaduto, of Watertown, MA; and Joseph Connell, Jr., and his wife Deborah (Nix) Connell, of Westford, MA. Joan is also survived by her brother Daniel E. Crowley and his wife Sherry (Lambert) Crowley, of Leominster, MA; four beloved grandchildren, Briana, Nolan, Brendan, and Keegan Connell; and a large and loving extended family.Friends may call at the Healy Funeral Home, from 3 to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Mass, to be celebrated Monday morning at St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, 107 North Main Street in Westford at 10 o'clock. Burial in St. Catherine's Cemetery in Westford.In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan's memory may be made to Westford Ambulance Fund, P.O. Box 197, Westford, MA 01886; or Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 383 Main Avenue, 5th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 (www.mmrf.org)