Joan Carol Button

Joan was born April 13, 1934 in Hanover MA, to Matthew Arthur and Beatrice (Donovan) Arthur. Joan was the tenth of twelve children and the last surviving.

Joan had a beautiful smile, joyful spirit and a love of laughter. Joan was a people person through and through and her irrepressible love for Jesus touched the hearts and lives of many who crossed her path. Joan had a beautiful singing voice the perfect instrument of expression for her love of life and her Lord. She directed and sang in the choir at St. Thecla's Catholic Church in Pembroke, MA for many years. Here Joan also served her church community as a long-time lector and Eucharistic minister. Joan was also a member of the Franciscan order committed to acts of charity and service to others beyond the church walls.

It was always faith and family and friends to whom Joan was most devoted. Joan and husband Jim raised five children Melanie, Jamie (predeceased), Shannon, Bryan and Joyce on Chandler Mill Pond in Duxbury. This home proved a beautiful location to raise a family that enjoyed canoeing, fishing, ice skating, sledding and many other activities including watching countless sunsets together on the lake. But above all it was mom’s enduring love that made our cozy cottage truly a home.

Joan enthusiastically championed all of her children in their academic and athletic endeavors. Joan attended innumerable sports events and school related activities throughout our childhood years.

Beyond being a full-time mom, Joan worked many jobs over the years in the elder care and hospice service fields as well as working with children with special needs in the Duxbury school system and local day care services. A favorite occupation of Joan's was working as hostess for the Bobby Hackett restaurant in Pembroke for dear friend Mary and her husband Bobby. The Hackett family hosted many Saturday morning bible studies at the restaurant that Joan faithfully attended and served as a catalyst inviting friends and family to participate in learning and fellowship.

Joan was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother of (10), and great-grandmother of (10) and aunt to dozens of nieces and nephews (50). Joan loved all of her family deeply. Joan and her beloved husband Jim, shared 70 years of marriage. In her final years, husband Jim faithfully attended to his wife's daily needs aided by daughter Joyce and her husband Doug Welniak's extraordinary commitment to mom and dad’s care. This remarkable outpouring of care and compassion, was fueled by an unbreakable bond of love forged in friendship and faith--modeled by mom, and passed onto her posterity. Thank you, mom. Your love is forever in our hearts.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, July 1st at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Angels Parish (St. Mary’s Church) 392 Hanover St., Hanover followed by burial in Center Cemetery, Hanover.