Visitation will be held Wednesday, October 24, 4-8 p.m. at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 145 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston, N.J. The funeral mass celebrating Joan’s life and faith will be Thursday, October 25, 10:00 a.m. at St. Philomena RC Church, 386 S. Livingston Ave., Livingston, NJ. Committal service to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, NJ.
Joan was born in East Orange, NJ, to Thomas and Anna McGrath. She graduated from Our Lady of the Valley H.S. in Orange, NJ, in 1948, and went on to work for NJ Bell Telephone Company from 1949-1951. Later she worked at Burrelle’s Press Clipping Bureau in Livingston as assistant to the supervisor from 1968-1981.
Joan was an active parishioner of St. Philomena R.C. Church in Livingston for more than 58 years. She was an avid reader and participated in book clubs at the Livingston Public Library. Among her hobbies were photography and gardening. In addition Joan participated in exercise classes in town.
Devoted wife of 67 years to Edward F. Deren; loving mother of Edward K. Deren and his wife Nancy; cherished grandmother of Heather Allen and her husband Philip, Robyn Crawford and her husband Jason, and Rebecca Lopez-Deren; adoring great grandmother of Olivia, Christopher, Thomas and James; and dear sister of the late Ann Miller, Thomas McGrath, and the late John McGrath.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan's name may be made to the Livingston Public Library, or to the Livingston First Aid Squad.