Joanne (Sullivan) Chamberlain

MARBLEHEAD - Joanne Chamberlain of Marblehead, MA, 92, passed away with peace and grace on September 14, 2020, with her family by her side.

Born on August 8, 1928 in Binghamton, NY, Joanne was the oldest daughter of Dr. Gerald and Teresa Sullivan. She attended the College of Mount Saint Vincent in NYC where she earned her nursing degree in 1951. While working as a nurse in the Bronx she met and married Joseph J. Grady Jr. and moved to Syracuse NY where they soon started a family and Joanne focused her energies on raising their five children born from 1953 to 1959. 

Of the many activities the family enjoyed together skiing was a constant.  It brought Joanne great joy spending countless hours on the slopes of Toggenburg Mountain, Mount Snow, Pico Peak and especially the many weekends and holidays with extended family and friends at their vacation home at Sugarbush VT. The family has too many fond memories of those times to list, but it was rumored Joanne kept her youngest son out of school occasionally so that they could enjoy the slopes at Toggenburg near their home in Syracuse while the older children were in school.  In addition to being a formidable skier, Joanne enjoyed tennis and played golf well into her 80’s.

Joanne was widowed at a young age when her husband Joseph J. Grady Jr. died in a plane crash in 1972 at the age of 45.   With five children between the ages of 12 and 19, Joanne continued to be the rock and cheerleader for her young family. 

In 1989 Joanne married Harvey Chamberlain and when they weren’t traveling she and Harvey divided their time between their homes in Marblehead, MA and Sarasota, FL enjoying many years of adventure together before Harvey passed away in 2000. Joanne always had a keen eye for fashion and interior design, and loved to garden and paint.  After her children were grown she enjoyed working as an interior decorator, as well as working in retail selling antiques.

Joanne was predeceased by her beloved eldest son Kevin, and is survived by her remaining children Joseph III of Worcester, MA, Neile (Steven) of Winchester, VA, Mark (Patricia) of Marblehead, MA and Jerry (Kathleen) of Arlington, MA and her loving grandchildren Erin, Christopher, Maggie, Patrick, Maura, Emma, Georgia and Owen.

She leaves us rich in memories and will always be remembered as a loving mother and Nana.

A private family service will be held at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Marblehead on September 26 at 11 am.  A celebration of Joanne’s life will be held later so that all who loved her can gather to share stories and celebrate a life well lived. The family wishes to thank all of the compassionate hospice caregivers for their tender care of Joanne.  If you wish, donations may be made to support The Kaplan Family Hospice House and sent to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan Street, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923, or online at www.CareDimensions.org

Arrangements by Driscoll Funeral Home, 309 S. Main Street, Haverhill. For guestbook, please visit www.driscollcares.com 

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