Joanne Mildred Dwyer Crowle

Joanne Dwyer Crowle passed away on February 28, 2023 at the age of 71 in Torrance, California after experiencing complications from Covid. At the time she was surrounded by family members and the staff that had fallen in love with her during her long hospital stay. Joanne was born on June 7, 1951 in Illinois to her loving parents John and Margaret (Hand) Dwyer. She moved to Greenwich, Connecticut at a young age and later met her future husband at Greenwich High School, where she graduated in 1969. She studied nursing before moving to Greensboro, North Carolina and marrying the love of her life and lifelong partner, Bruce Crowle. After his graduation, they moved back to Greenwich to raise their kids alongside their extended families.

The family moved to Cheshire, Connecticut in 1992 where she continued her legacy as the second mother to all of her children’s friends. Her door was always open, her kitchen table was always set and the lazy susan of snacks was always full.

While Joanne and Bruce built a family, they also built two successful businesses together, Decora and Atria. What started as a small shop on Henry Avenue, in Greenwich selling sand art, plants and macrame plant holders grew to become Connecticut’s premier interior plantscape company, additionally specializing in Holiday Decor. She was so proud of the work they did together, but more so about the relationships they had built with their employees - who became an extended version of her family. She and Bruce were able to enjoy their retirement alongside the beach, reveling in sunshine and no longer needing to shovel driveways in California for 5 years before her passing.

Joanne was born to be a grandma. Ammy, as she was lovingly named by her 8 grandkids, was known for her spaghetti and meatballs, sleepover parties, cozy book readings of the Little Blue Truck over and over, cuddles and back scratches, kitchen dance parties, gingerbread house decorating, presents, presents and more presents. If you searched her drawers, you’d find tu-tus, art projects and wooden trains hidden away for a rainy day. Since her own children were babies, Joanne made sure that Christmas morning was nothing short of a dream. Her grandchildren were lucky to experience the same as they grew older.

Outside of the holidays, vacations were another place that Joanne shined. Whether it was taking the family to Florida, the Poconos, Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard. She made sure that her children were having the best time they could, while enjoying her one-on-one time with Bruce, her parents, her siblings or her nieces and nephews.

Joanne was welcoming to all; a warm, bright light and a safe place for anyone to find comfort and feel loved. She is greatly missed, and we all know that the world is left a better place because of her presence in it.

Left to honor her memory are her husband of 51 years, Bruce; three children and their partners, Carrie and Michael Nolen, Adam and Leila Crowle and Samantha and David Bossu; her 8 grandchildren, Blair, Grady, Whitney, Wesley, Ruby, Iliana, Charlotte and Evelyn; her brother and sister-in-law James and Karen Dwyer and sister-in-law Helen Dwyer; sisters and brothers-in-laws Lynn and Paul O’Gorman, Richard Crowle and Nancy Curcio and her many nieces and nephews with whom she had deep admiration and love for. She was predeceased by her parents John and Margaret and brother Michael.

A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church of Greenwich, 108 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, CT on March 25, 2023 at 12:00pm. Reception to follow at the Glenville Polish Club, 30 Greenway Drive, Greenwich, CT.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to the Nature Conservancy. www.nature.org .