Joan Agnes Kirk

Born in Manhattan on September 30, 1929, to Charles and Catherine Murnin, the second of four children, her life changed when her mother Catherine died of pneumonia in 1934. Her paternal grandmother, Gram, came from Ireland to help raise the children in NYC during the depression. With the additional help of two paternal aunts, a lasting footprint of toughness, family, thriftiness and above all, faith, was woven into her life.

Joan started her schooling early and graduated from Cathedral H.S. with honors at age sixteen, then attended Katherine Gibbs secretarial school. She worked as secretary to the General Counsel of General Dynamics Company in NYC before meeting Gene Kirk at Fischel’s ice cream parlor in the infamous winter blizzard of 1947. He walked her home, and she told her father she had just met the man she would marry. She had always said she would never marry a man with hair on his chest. When her father asked, “how will you know?”, she quipped, “I’ll take him to the beach.” Luckily, Gene fit the bill.

Gene and Joan married in 1952, and she guided her family by dreaming big. Joan’s compassionate and gentle nature, coupled with her quick wit and great sense of humor, were sought after in times of need by her friends, children and eventually her grandchildren. Joan’s creativity and sense of style shone in her beautiful homes and the hand-made gifts she gave to friends and family. She later worked as assistant to the President of Lincoln Mayflower, an appraisal company, where her love of antiques and art flourished. She was an Extraordinary Minister and a faith leader at St. Rose of Lima parish in Short Hills, NJ before retiring to Cape Cod, MA. It was there that her dream of a white picket fence in her yard became a reality. Joan was an early and longtime fan of Jack LaLanne. She walked for exercise and pleasure and took up swimming after she and Gene moved to the Cape.

Together with her husband, Joan’s life was one of loving service to family, friends and neighbors, and Church. Always thinking of others, her lifelong volunteer work culminated with running the Holy Trinity Thrift Shop in Harwich, MA for many years.

Joan was predeceased by her parents, her husband Gene, her infant daughter Jane Ellen, her grandson Terrence Scott, her brother Charles, and sisters Rosemary Finley and Agnes French.

She is survived by her daughter, Katherine Scott (Roderick), sons Brian (Debra Carr-Kirk), Stephen, Daniel (Rebecca) and daughter Nancy (Kevin McElaney), 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews.

From humble beginnings, Joan lived an extraordinary life filled with faith, love and generosity and will be remembered for her gracious soul and sharp mind.

Donations in her honor would be gratefully accepted by Bridges Memory Care in Mashpee, MA, Heartworks of Basking Ridge, NJ or to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.