Joan Valerie Passarelli MacNair

Joan Valerie Passarelli MacNair was born on February 14, 1943 in Manhattan to George and Lucia Passarelli.

She was brought up in the Bronx until she was in Junior High and moved to Shrub Oak in Westchester County, N.Y. She went to Lakeland High School and belonged to several clubs.

She met Don at a Valentine's Day Dance. His band was playing and he couldn't get his eyes off her. She was 15 and he said, "My band will be on the radio next week and I'll dedicate a song to you." The rest is history.

They dated on and off for several years and married in 1961. They had two sons, Mike and Brian, and they lived in Shrub Oak for several years. They moved to Poughquag, N.Y., near Poughkeepsie and Joan became a bookkeeper and tax collector for Pawling Central Schools.

Mike moved to Mount Vernon Virginia, and eventually had three children. Joan and Don retired and moved to Mount Vernon to be with them.

They traveled extensively and enjoyed their retirement and grandchildren. She had a long eighty one years and a wonderful life filled with numerous family events that she hosted. She fought cancer for 22 years and was a true warrior. Everyone she met loved her, she was just that kind of person.

She is survived by her sons, Mike and his wife Ellen, Brian, and her grandchildren Meghan, Conor, James and Brialyn and her great-grandchildren, Finn and Sage.

She was loved and she loved in return.

The family will receive friends at the Cunningham Turch Funeral Home, 811 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 on Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM

A Celebration of Her Life will be on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Christ Church, 118 N. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the GRIN2B FOUNDATION ( www.grin2b.com/donate ) in honor of Joan's great granddaughter Sage MacNair.