Joanne P. McLellan 81, a lifelong resident of Keene, passed away peacefully at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Cheshire Medical Center in Keene on Thursday, February 6, 2020 after a period of declining health.
Joanne was born in Keene, NH on July 24, 1938 the daughter of Earl M. and Cecile F (Hamlin) Wall. She grew up in Keene attended St. Joseph School and was a 1956 graduate of Keene High School.
Following high school and her marriage to Bill Parrott she moved to Norfolk, VA where Bill was stationed with the U.S. Navy. When Bill went out to sea, Joanne returned to Keene and was employed by Peerless Ins. Co. Bill died tragically in a highway accident in 1959.
She later married her second husband, Blaine McLellan the father of her two daughters.
When her girls were grown, Joanne became employed by Keene School District SAU 29 and became the administrative assistant to the Keene High School Gold House Administrator, Edward Bourassa. While at Keene High she accompanied students on trips to England for several years. She still corresponded with people she met there.
Joanne loved to help organize events, especially school events and was active in all of her high school’s class reunions. She was a gifted artist who loved to paint and presented some of her works to area art shows. She also taught art classes at the Keene Vocational Training and Technology Center and at Craft Cottage.
Joanne was active in the community and was a member of the Parish of the Holy Spirit and attended St. Bernard’s Church.
She is survived by her two daughters; Deborah Mansfield of Limerick, ME and Patricia “Penny” LaChance and her husband Lee of St. Albans, VT; Her six grandchildren; Meaghan LaChance (Dan), Erica Pierce and her husband Adam, Blaine LaChance, Travis Mansfield and his wife Rachel , Zachary Mansfield and Katrina Mansfield. Two great-grandchildren; Harper and Ozzie. She is also survived by her sister Jean Windsor and her husband Raymond of Punta Gorda, FL; a niece and a nephew, Amy Riviera and her husband Joe; Scott Williams and his wife Mary Beth. Her cousin and lifelong friend, Sandra Mispel and her husband Bruce. She is also survived by two god-daughters Wendy Mispel -John and Tammy Pratt.
The family is very grateful for the loving care and friendship she received from her close friends, Carol and Peter Blaisdell as well as neighbors and many of her former classmates.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 10:30am at St. Bernard Church, 185 Main St. Keene, NH. Burial will follow in the Monadnock View Cemetery, Park Ave, Keene, NH. Family and friends are invited to call on the family from 4 to 6pm on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court St. Keene, NH.
For those who wish to remember Joanne through a memorial contributions, donations may be made to St. Vincent DePaul, c/o St. Bernard Church, 161 Main Street, Keene, NH. 03431 or to the fund promoting the new high school opening this fall, Our Lady of Mercy Academy, c/o Rev. Alan Tremblay, St. Bernard Church, 161 Main Street, Keene, NH. 03431.
