Joanne (Johnson) Moynahan

Joanne Moynahan’s physical and mental trials with dementia finally ended on January 19, 2022. While her dementia constrained her ability to express herself, Joanne still faced the end of her life with grace, acceptance, and a sense of humor. She had a knack for facing life on life’s terms.

Joanne was born right before the start of World War II on August 10, 1941. Her parents Dexter and Marjorie Johnson raised her in Woburn, Massachusetts along with her older sister Judy and her younger brother Edward. While Joanne was never one to boast, she had a proud family history.  She was a descendent of Captain Edward F. Johnson, founder of Woburn. That history and her family’s deep roots in one town buoyed Joanne’s identity for the rest of her life.  When Joanne thought of “home,” she thought of Woburn. 

A voracious reader with an innate openness for learning, Joanne turned her talents into a career in teaching while attending Westfield State College from 1959 to 1963. In storybook form, she met her husband Joseph T. Moynahan of Williamsburg during a sock hop Valentines’ Day dance.  Their courtship continued until they were married on August 31, 1963 in Rockport MA. Joe and Joanne were married for 56 years, sharing three different homes together in Chicopee, West Springfield, and their final home in Southampton.

Joanne began her teaching career while living in West Springfield.  She also played an integral leadership role in the local YMCA where the neighborhood children took swimming and tennis lessons. The family eventually moved to Southampton after Joanne was offered a full-time teaching position at Westhampton Elementary School. She relished the challenge of teaching sixth graders, and her innate assuredness and calmness helped many students tackle the nuances and complexity of mathematics, a subject she excelled at. After 30 years of service, Joanne retired from teaching in the summer of 2000.

As a mother, Joanne was a calming influence in the lives of her three children. Her warmth created harmony from the disharmony that can often crop up in the vicissitudes of life.  Her steady support and peaceful nature were instrumental in her role as a caregiver.  She was a master at playfully and patiently guiding her children in overcoming both the small and ponderous tribulations a childhood and adolescence can bring: the pressing crunch of homework, the fallout of hurt feelings, or the unease of cloudy futures.

Joanne was also a consummate host at social gatherings.  Even though her home was not the largest in the family, it became the hub for entertaining at holidays, birthdays, and special events.  She was the Martha Stewart of the extended family and especially enjoyed baking cookies and making festive cakes. Her family all had their favorite versions of these desserts, and Joanne cheerfully fulfilled everyone’s requests.  If there were ever a celebration to organize, Joanne was the first to volunteer and she never drew attention to her contributions.  Her overarching modesty was a common theme in her life.  She enjoyed making other people happy and she never expected anything in return.

In retirement, she became interested in quilting, gardening, and spending time with her grandchildren. For many years she attended the weekly quilting sessions at the Southampton Quilt Shop, and she often made trips to the Edward Public Library to share her love of reading with her grandkids. Joanne also looked forward to visiting her friends and relatives in Rockport on the family’s annual trips to Long Beach in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Joanne’s guiding force and care for others may be gone, but her warmth and joy will always be remembered.

Joanne was predeceased by her husband Joseph Moynahan, her parents Dexter and Marjorie Johnson, and her younger brother Edward. She is survived by her sister Judith Foley, Woburn, MA; her sister-in-law Molly Johnson, Woburn, MA; her sister-in-law Kathy Luce and her husband Rusty, Haydenville, MA; and her sister-in-law Maureen McWilliams and her husband Ted, Des Moines, IA; and her sister-in-law Judy Moynahan, Pittsfield, MA.

Joanne leaves behind three children and their spouses: Shaun and Tung, San Francisco, CA; Laura O’Donnell, Southampton, MA; Dan and Anna, Southampton, MA. She also leaves behind four grandchildren, Emily and Kaley O’Donnell and Aidan and Shayne Moynahan.

There will be no calling hours and the family is going to hold Joanne’s funeral at their convenience.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joanne (Johnson) Moynahan, please visit our floral store.