JOAN YVONNE GELINEAU's Obituary
Joan Yvonne Gelineau 80, passed away after a long illness with Alzheimer’s on June 6, 2017 at Kindred Hospital in Miami, FL.
Joan was born in Burlington, Vermont on March 29, 1937 the daughter of Bernard and Helen (Carpenter) Gelineau. She was educated in Burlington, Vermont schools.
Joan was raised by her grandparents, Aristide and Mabel Gelineau in Burlington until her Uncle Antonio and Aunt Dorthea Gelineau took Joan to live with them in Miami Springs, Fl and she remained in Florida for the rest of her life.
Joan worked for the Florida International University as an administrative assistant for most of her career at FIU until her retirement.
Joan was known by her family and friends as a person who was deeply in love with animals and she rescued many cats and birds of various species throughout her life. She would call family members to share conversations and various tricks she would teach her birds which were a sense of pride for her. When she retired, she gave her life to caring for the cat and birds she had with her until her hospitalization.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and Helen Gelineau, uncle and aunt, Antonio and Dorthea Gelineau, grandparents Aristide and Mabel Gelineau.
Joan leaves Leonard Benjamin, who was a dear and close friend, who remained by her side throughout many years of her life and cared for her when she became hospitalized in for her Alzheimer’s and dementia onset. She leaves her aunt, Theresa Richard of Nashua, NH, her cousin Darcy Troville of Seymour, Indiana who was her guardian and cared for her affairs through the years as her health deteriorated. A sister, Marlene Blais & husband Ron of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, A cousin, Thomas Troville of Nashua, NH, cousin, Bishop Emeritus Louis E Gelineau of N Smithfield, Rhode Island, several other cousins and friends.
The visitation & services for Joan will be held at Van Orsdel Funeral Home, 11220 N. Kendall Drive Miami, Fl from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Monday June 12, with a Catholic prayer service at the funeral home followed by a graveside committal at the Graceland Memorial Park North 4420 SW 8th Street, Miami, Florida.
Donations can be made in Joan’s memory to The Alzheimer's Association, Southeast Florida Miami-Dade Chapter, 2828 Coral Way, Suite 505 Miami, FL 33145 or Miami-Dade Pet Adoption & Protection Center, 3599 NW 79th Ave, Doral, FL 33166 or Pelican Harbour Seabird Station & Shelter 1279 79th St. Causeway, Miami, FL 33138
What’s your fondest memory of JOAN?
What’s a lesson you learned from JOAN?
Share a story where JOAN's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with JOAN you’ll never forget.
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