M. Joan Swan died at home surrounded by her family on January 21, 2025. Joan was born in Buffalo, NY.
Growing up, Joan spent many summers with her family at Muskoka Lake (Ontario) and loved visiting Niagara-on-the-Lake on the steamship boat Cayuga that her father captained. In 1957, Joan married her childhood sweetheart, Ray Swan, and together they raised four children. From Buffalo, they moved to Liverpool, NY, and then to Hopkinton, MA with Ray’s job. In Hopkinton, Joan worked as a sales clerk at Hopkinton Drug Store for 17 years. She also volunteered for many hours serving meals at the Hopkinton Senior Center. But her most important hours were spent as a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker.
As a family, Joan, Ray, and the girls spent many summers camping together, especially loving their trips to Acadia National Park. Joan and Ray also traveled extensively after the girls finished college. For the last twenty years, they annually went back to the “Inn on the River” on Grand Island, New York to spend time with lifelong friends.
Joan especially loved to play bridge, and she and Ray also enjoyed playing tennis, through which they formed special and lasting friendships. Joan also enjoyed card games with her children and grandchildren. Joan and Ray spent many hours on their back porch together, playing cards, socializing with friends, and watching hummingbirds while enjoying their beautiful yard.
Joan leaves behind her beloved family: Raymond Swan (her husband of nearly 68 years), 3 daughters Janette Koenig (Steven Koenig), Lynette Swan Nealon, Jacqueline Swan (Timothy Smith), 6 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Joan is preceded in death by her and Ray’s young son, Michael Swan.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 26th from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton.
www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Friends of the Hopkinton Seniors, 28 Mayhew St. Hopkinton, MA 01748, or the American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org
