Joan Richardson

Joan F "Joanne" Richardson, 86, of Whitman passed away on August 9, 2020 after a hard fought battle with cancer. She was the loving and loved mother of William C. Lynch and his wife Jeanne of Abington, Daniel P. Lynch of Hilton Head, SC, Kathleen (Lynch) Hackett and her husband James of Pembroke, David M. Lynch of Rockland, Teresa M. Lynch of Cambridge and Julia (Richardson) Andrews and her husband Brian of Westford, VT.  She was the proud "Grammy" of Michael, Lauren, Celia, and Shea.  In death she will be reunited at long last with the love of her life, Joseph Richardson, who has been patiently waiting for his beloved "Josie" to return to him.

Joanne was raised and educated in Rockland, graduating from high school in 1952.  She played defense in basketball (it was the six-on-six era) and in her senior year, was coronated “Queen of Hearts” at the annual Valentine’s dance.  After high school, she began working at New England Telephone and returned after her children were grown, eventually retiring from Verizon in the 1990s. This first retirement lasted only a few months before boredom kicked in and she took a position at New England Art in Abington, where she worked for several years before retiring for good.

After the death of her sister Jean, Joanne became the long-reigning matriarch of the McPhail clan of Rockland. She leaves behind her brothers Robert and Peter McPhail and a sister, Pamela (McPhail) Kilgour. She was predeceased by brothers David and Ernest McPhail and very recently by her beloved sister Maureen (McPhail) Pardo.

Joanne was an avid reader of fiction and a news junkie who would argue politics and economics (but never religion) with anyone who could keep up.  She was a highly skilled and creative cook who passed her love of good food on to her kids and grandkids, as well as a lifelong cribbage player who enjoyed regular games with her brothers and sisters.  One of Joanne’s great passions in life was hosting birthdays and holidays for her family.  She would start her Christmas shopping in January and have everything  bought and wrapped by October. She would begin to annoy her children with questions about their own shopping right after Halloween. Her favorite day of the year was Christmas and she genuinely believed that each one was the best her family had ever had.  She will be missed.

The funeral Mass and burial will be private. A memorial service is planned for 2021.