Joan C. (Owen) Paradiso, 87, passed away on January 22, 2022 in her residence in Staten Island. Joan was born in Brooklyn to Lebanese immigrants, Najla and Frederick Owen on December 18, 1934 and was the eldest of three children. After losing her father at a young age, Joan stepped up to be a guiding light to her immediate family, a trait that she carried throughout her lifetime in all of her relationships with family and friends. Joan met the love of her life, Bob Paradiso, on the night of the Academy Awards and each of them were the real Oscar winners that night. They wed in 1960 and resided in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn where they raised their three children, Linda, JoAnn, and Robert Jr. Joan began her career as a travel agent when her children were older and soon decided to go into business for herself. She started her own agency and operated Paradise Travel, a Bay Ridge staple, for over 30 years. Her business interests also spawned a lifelong love of travel. She had the opportunity to visit many exotic and distant destinations and traveled to every continent except Australia. She returned with many a story and the pictures to prove the tales. Joan always exhibited a quick wit, uncanny intuition, and fierce love that endeared her to her immediate and extended family. The role she loved the most was being “Sitto” to her 10 grandchildren, each of whom she made to feel important and special in their own individual way. She spent many an hour incorporating her love (her secret ingredient) into stuffed grape leaves and other Lebanese delicacies to share with her family. Joan was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Robert J. Paradiso in 2016 and is survived by her daughters Linda (husband Michael Chiappone), JoAnn (husband Andre Ciprut), and son Robert (wife Lucy Valvano), as well as grandchildren Michael, Lydia, Joanna, Arianna, Talia, Samantha, Felicia, Nina, Alexander, and Saverio.
In Lieu of flowers family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer's Association in memory of Joan.
Thank You
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