Joan (Joanie) Carol Graham

Joan (Joanie) Carol Graham

Beloved Sister, Aunt and Great Aunt

On November 4, 2024 the angels came to reunite our beloved sister, Joan Graham, with her parents in heaven while surrounded by her family. She was our “special angel” born to Beverly (Harte) and William F. Graham Jr. on October 27, 1962. She was born with Down Syndrome. However, despite her medical and intellectual issues, she surpassed all the odds and lived a happy, wonderful, productive 62 years.

Joan was a lifelong resident of the Riverside section of Haverhill, MA and was able to spend her entire life in her own “red house” among neighbors and family. She attended the Haverhill Public Schools Special Education Programs (with her favorite teacher, “Cifra”). Later she attended Class Inc., Buttonwoods Place Day Habilitation Center, and lastly Opportunity Works in Haverhill. She loved her programs and called it “school” and always wanted a new lunchbox, backpack, and sneakers for the start of every fall.

Joanie’s innocence and excitement kept the spirit and love of holidays within her family, -still believing in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. She looked forward to every holiday and only requested “red toys” for gifts.

Joan loved all family get-togethers-cookouts, birthday parties, holiday celebrations, weddings, etc. She looked forward to going out to eat every Saturday at the 99 with Mary Ann, Julie, and Laura (to see her favorite waitress-Debbie) and having “the big one” for dessert, going for ice cream, eating cake and chocolate, coke a cola, grocery shopping, riding in the car, swimming in her pool. She loved to color, play matching games, listen and dance to the Monkees music, help cook and eat the leftovers in the bowl, wear her jewelry, watch her IPad and play “breaking heads” with her nieces and nephew. She spent a month every summer at “her beach house” in Seabrook with her family and her red pails. She recognized every eatery place there was-the 99, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, etc. The Monkees were Joanie’s favorite group. She loved to dance and sing to their music. She had a collection of their CD’s and TV videos. She attended several of their concerts and even got to meet them in person and have her picture taken with them, which was the highlight of her life.

Joanie touched and shaped the lives of her family, friends, neighbors, caregivers, medical staff, people in her programs, people in the community. She had special names for many of them-“Dada Bill”, “Dada Jim”, “Dada Dennis”, “Baby Jim”, “Yulie Turse”, “Tom Food Store”, “Arnold” “Sharon”, “Daddy Bob”, “Donna’s Daddy”, “Sue/Matt”, Ratty, “Bad Boy”, “Abi”, “Baggy”, “Wendy”, “Indy”, “Denny”, “No Way Mommy” and “No Way Daddy”.

Joan is predeceased by her loving parents-William (“her Bill”) and Beverly Graham and niece Dagny Collins. She leaves her loving siblings-Mary Ann Dunlavey and her husband Dennis, William III and wife Qing Graham, James and wife Cynthia Graham and sister-in-law Patty Graham. Nieces and nephews-William IV and his wife Lindsay, Timothy Graham and his significant other Dawn Kenniston, Joseph and his wife Caitlin Graham, Melissa Dunlavey and her husband Avi Aponte, Dennis Dunlavey Jr., Geoffrey Collins and his wife Amy, and James Graham Jr. Several grandnieces and nephews-Lyra Graham, Will Graham, Brianna Graham, Eliana Aponte, Elias Aponte, Rose Graham, Scarlett Graham, and Cole Graham, along with many wonderful relatives, life-long neighbors, friends, caregivers, and medical staff.

We would like to especially thank her long-time caregivers who became part of her family-Coleen Walsh, Melba Dietrich, Jackie Smith, Eveyln Brewer, along with Jennifer Nadeau, Diane Ouellette, Beth Termini, Laurie Patterson and all her previous caregivers. And to the Arc of Greater Haverhill/Newburyport and DDS, which none of this would have been possible without their support.

Joanie-“You are our shining star and don’t you forget it!” We love you to the “Moon and Back”!!!

Calling Hours will be at Rogers Funeral Home 334 Main Street Haverhill, MA Sunday November 10, 2024 from 10 to 12 followed by a service at the funeral home at 12. The burial will be at Walnut Cemetery on Middle Road in Haverhill, MA.

Please wear something red in honor of Joanie’s memory.

Flowers (with red) are welcome, or donations can be made to The Arc of Greater Haverhill/Newburyport, 57 Wingate Street, Suite 301, Haverhill, MA 01832 or Opportunity Works, 671 Kenoza Street, Haverhill, MA 01830.