Joan Tucker, 84

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Joan Quinn Tucker passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, at her home at Linden Ponds in Hingham, Mass., surrounded by her loving family. 

Born in North Adams, Mass., on March 10, 1933, Joan was a daughter of George L. and Ethel D. Quinn, and married for over 55 years to her beloved husband, the late Richard F. Tucker. 

Joan was a graduate of Drury High School, Lasell Junior College and North Adams State College, where she earned a degree in Early Childhood Education. Joan was an adored preschool teacher at The Elm Preschool in Pittsfield, which she founded and ran as teacher and proprietor for 17 years. Teaching was her passion. Joan was a wonderful and positive influence on the children and families she met through The Elm Preschool. 

Joan loved living in the Berkshires. She was a long-time member of the Country Club of Pittsfield, where she was an avid tennis and paddle tennis player, enjoying her time on the courts well into her 80s. She cherished her paddle and tennis friends and spent many memorable times with them celebrating on and off the court. 

An active volunteer, Joan enjoyed working with the Junior League, cooking at The Girls Club, and teaching English to immigrants. She thoroughly enjoyed her home and neighbors on Ann Drive, and until recently, took brisk early morning walks with her neighborhood friends. 

Joan’s true focus was always on her family, for whom her love and her commitment was unparalleled. She was at Richard’s side when he founded and ran a successful real estate business, Tucker Associates, for over 50 years. She was an inspiration and role model to her children and grandchildren with whom she shared her passion for education, reading, cooking (authoring a cookbook), and sports. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Joan is survived by her son, Richard F. Tucker II and his wife, Donna Nesbitt, of Savage, Minn.; four daughters, Elizabeth Bell and her husband, Dr. Jonathan Bell, of Falmouth, Mass., Kathleen Burke and her husband, Steven, of North Hampton, N.H., Susan Elcock and her husband, William, of Medfield, Mass., and Amy Jarck and her husband, George, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; 16 grandchildren, Christopher and Angela Tucker, Patrick and Laura Tucker, Sean and Katelyn Tucker, Megan Tucker, Margot Bell, Jonathan Bell, Marissa Bell, Amy (Burke) and Brian Villard, Leah Burke, Steven Burke Jr., Tucker Elcock, William Elcock, Jr., Abigail Elcock, Hayden Jarck, Nicholas Jarck and Elizabeth Jarck; and three great-grandchildren, James, Owen and Charles Tucker. Joan is also survived by her brother, James Quinn, of Northampton, Mass.; and her sister, Elizabeth Chilson, of Williamstown, Mass. 

Joan was predeceased by her brother, George L. Quinn II.

Funeral notice: Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 10, 2018, with a mass of remembrance at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Pittsfield, with the Msgr. John Myslinski officiating. Calling hours will be Friday, March 9, 2018, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Dery Funeral Home. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Joan Q. Tucker may be made to the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor, Brookline MA, 02445.