Joan Ellen Rivers, 67
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Joan Ellen Rivers, 67, of 435 Reservoir Road died on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston.
Born in Adams on Dec. 26, 1947, daughter of Edwin and Helen Leja Lubowicz, she attended schools in Adams and graduated from the former Adams High School with the class of 1965. She then went on to receive her bachelor's degree in science and elementary education from the former North Adams State College in 1969.
Mrs. Rivers worked for many years as a teacher for the North Adams Public Schools until her retirement. She had also worked for the Grinnell Partners law firm in Williamstown.
She was a communicant of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. She was a member of the Friends of the North Adams Library and the North Adams, Massachusetts and the National teachers associations. She loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She was an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying skiing, cycling and walking with her friends. She enjoyed her house in Vermont, hiking the White Mountains of New Hampshire and traveling to the ocean and islands.
She and her husband, Gary F. Rivers, were married on Nov. 22, 1969.
Besides her husband of 45 years, she leaves two sons, John Rivers and his wife, Nancy, of Savannah, Ga., and Christopher Rivers and his wife, Jennifer, of Clifton Park, N.Y.; a brother, Ronald Lubowicz and his wife, Barbara, of Lubbock, Texas; six grandchildren, Brice, Andrew, Lauren, Hayley, Nicholas and Derek, and two nieces, Katy and Jenny.
FUNERAL NOTICE — The funeral for Mrs. Rivers will be Saturday, Jan. 17, at 9 a.m. from Paciorek Funeral Home, 13 Hoosac St., Adams, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Adams, celebrated by the Rev. Steven Montesanti, pastor. Burial will follow in Southview Cemetery in North Adams.
Calling hours will be Friday, Jan. 16, from 4 to 7 at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Friends of the North Adams Library, 74 Church St., North Adams, MA 01247 or PopCares, P.O. Box 482, Williamstown, MA 01267.