Joan Lenora Heffernan

Joan L. Heffernan
1925 – 2023
Joan Lenora Heffernan, wife of the late John F. Heffernan. Loving mother of: Edward and his wife Ulrike Wiede of Essex Fells, NJ, Thomas of San Diego, CA James of Kinnelon, NJ, Carol DeCelie and her husband Patrick of Glen Ridge, NJ, Robert and his wife Mary Latka of Washington, DC, Joan Ganton and her husband Brian of North Caldwell, NJ, Michael and his wife Monica of Ramsey, NJ, Daughter-in-law Elaine G. Heffernan of New Orleans, LA
Joan was predeceased by her son, John P. Heffernan. Beloved grandmother of Sarah, Rebecca (David), Daniel, MacKenzie, Jessica, Kelsey, Margaret, Faith, Ryan and Bridget.
Born in Union City, New Jersey on February 24th, 1925, to Philip Nolan and Adelaide Vincent, Joan attended the nearby St Michael’s Monastery Church grammar and high school, graduating in 1942. Starting work as a teller in a local Union City bank, Joan later began commuting into NYC in 1949 for work at Pennsylvania Exchange Bank, 322 8th Avenue at West 26th Street.
New Jersey born and bred, Joan was reacquainted with a St Michael’s classmate (and newly returned army veteran) at a CYO dance after the war. On the beach at Asbury Park, Joan accepted his marriage proposal, and on October 2nd, 1954, Joan Nolan married John Francis Heffernan. After a two-week honeymoon spent driving to Daytona Beach, Florida and back, the couple took an apartment in Jersey City. Four years and three boys later, the family moved to 159 State Street, Bloomfield, New Jersey. Nine years and four more children saw Joan and her family make a short moved to 11 Forest Avenue in Glen Ridge which would be her home for the next forty-three years.
Tragically, Joan’s beloved husband John Francis died on January 7th, 1971, leaving her a widow with eight children between the ages of two and fifteen. Since there was no daycare in those days, Joan had to wait until her youngest started school to return to work. In 1973, Joan went back to work as a teller at the Midlantic Bank branch offices in Bloomfield and Glen Ridge until retiring in 1994. With all her children launched, Joan enjoyed almost 30 years of retirement tending to her vegetable garden and grandchildren while always making sure to get in an afternoon rest—often with the latest issue of Family Circle magazine landing askance across her face as she napped.
Quick witted and sharp with a strongly pragmatic approach to life, Joan guided her children and grandchildren through life with loving wisdom, and no-nonsense practicality. Known for her love of the sand and surf of the Jersey Shore, Joan had a 60-year streak of summer vacations ‘down the shore’ sampling beaches from Asbury Park to Cape May. She was well into her 90s before she stopped braving the waves and opted instead to keep to the sand and oversee the sandcastle building by the grandkids. In 2000 Joan was persuaded to join her friends for a two-week holiday in Ireland, for her first extended vacation outside the United States.
An avid reader, Joan read everything from Readers Digest to James Paterson to Mary Higgins Clark and the racy Outlander Series. As a working woman, Joan took full advantage of the quick meal conveniences of the late 20th century, and her ‘shake and bake’ pork chops as well as her Sunday pot roast, were second to none. More recently Joan had developed a love for inexpensive red wine, chocolates, Bailey’s Irish Cream, TV game shows, and the local New York sports teams, all to a varying degree—except the wine, chocolates, Bailey’s, and game shows which she loved faithfully.
Relatives and friends are invited to O’Boyle Funeral Home, 309 Broad St. Bloomfield on Monday, January 9th 9:30am . A Funeral Mass will be offered at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Montclair at 11a.m. Visitation Sunday, January 8th from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the BrightFocus Foundation for Macular Degeneration Research. BrightFocus is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States.
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