Joan L. Bonica Lynch

Joan was born on November 1, 1956 at Norwood Hospital to the parents Donald and Beatrice Bonica, both lifelong residents of the Norwood community.

Joan was educated in the Norwood schools, graduated in 1974 from Norwood High School.

After marrying in 1978, and starting a family, Joan joined the family business, Balboni’s Liquors, where she worked alongside her father for 27 years until his passing in July 2001. Joan dedicated her career to the family business and challenged herself to make it the best it could be, as it was!

She sold the family business in December of 2008.

Joan believed in the concept of setting goals, one of them being to go back to schooland get her college degree. She was taking evening classes at Boston College, where she was working towards that end.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Joan also took part in the “Tri For A Cure” in August of 2009, which took place in Portland, Maine and involved swimming, biking, and running. As usual Joan approached this with her usual enthusiasm and faced this challenge head on.

She dedicated her time to helping others at places like Women’s Lunch Place in Boston, Mass. She had a love for interacting with public and meeting individuals from all walks of life.

She was the beloved wife of Kenneth A. Lynch; loving mother of Kristin A. Lynch of Norwood, MA; cherished sister of Marie Martell and her husband Paul of Hopkinton, NH, Diane Smith of Stratham, NH, Nancy Lipsky and her husband Steven of Marblehead; dear niece of Stephanie Bonica of Norwood; aunt of Adam Lunsford of New Hampshire, and Brett and Sarah Lipsky, both of Marblehead.cousin of Jean Guerrin and her husband Jack, Joseph, John and James Bonica. She was predeceased by her mother and father, Donald and Beatrice (Balboni) Bonica.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 10:00am from the Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole Street (Rte 1A), Norwood, then at 11:00am in St. Catherine of Siena Church, 547 Washington Street, Norwood, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Interment will follow the Mass in Highland Cemetery, Norwood.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to a visitation on Monday, June 20, 2011from 2:00-4:00pm and 6:00-8:00pm at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Joan L. Lynch to the Mount Alvernia High School, 790 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02458, for the continuation of women’s education.

Arrangements under the direction of Gillooly Funeral Home, Norwood, MA.