Joan M. Popeo

“Our mother was a prolific member of the art community,” said her daughter Paula Popeo. “Painting was a part of her life since early childhood. She often said her fondest memories were afternoon critiques with her uncle, Boston sculptor, Theodore “Ted” Barbarossa, with whom she loved to share her newest collection of paintings and drawings at his East Boston studio.

Mrs. Popeo’s work was exhibited at Marblehead’s former Art Guild Gallery. She was the recipient of many awards including two Medford Arts Council Purchase Prizes, numerous ribbons from the Marblehead Arts Association, the Swampscott Arts Association, Greater Lynn Arts and Crafts Society, The North Shore Suburban Art Exhibit and the Marblehead Festival of Arts where her watercolor “Rural Sunset” won Best of Show in painting in 1991. Her watercolor, Ravenswood Barn, was selected in 2012, for inclusion in the Visual Arts Center’s National Art Exhibition in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Mrs. Popeo was a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art. Early in her career, before the dawn of photo advertising, Mrs. Popeo was a fashion illustrator for several major Springfield, Massachusetts’ department stores.

She is predeceased by her husband of 69 years, V. James “Jim” Popeo. She leaves seven children, Paula Popeo and her husband, Robert Schilling of New Bedford, Nancy Popeo and her husband, Robert Murphy of Natick, James Popeo and his wife, Holly of North Reading, Andrea Popeo of Marblehead, William Popeo and his wife, Sharon of Portsmouth, NH, John Popeo and his wife, Michele of Marblehead, Victoria Popeo of Bedminster, NJ, son-in-law, Paul Johnson of Marblehead and fourteen grandchildren: Thomas Popeo, Jacquelyn Popeo, John Popeo and his wife, Sarah and daughter, Eva, Vanessa and her husband, Patrick Coonan, Anthony Popeo, Haley Bernatas, Emily Johnson, Sam Johnson and his fiancée, Pip Owen, Mary Popeo, Andrew Popeo, William Popeo, Katrina and Nick Aielllo-Popeo and Olivia Popeo and Troy LaVecchia. She is predeceased by her sister and brother-in-law, Carol D’Entremont and Robert D’Entremont, formerly of Hampstead, NH.

Services are private and are under the care of Eustis & Cornell of Marblehead. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Greater Boston Food Bank via gbfb.org/donate/. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.EustisandCornellFuneralHome.com for the Popeo family.