Joan K. Mahoney

Joan K. (Murphy) Mahoney, 92, died Monday morning, May 23, 2022 at the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln following a brief battle with cancer. She was the loving wife of the late William F. Mahoney, with whom she shared 67 years of marriage. Born in Dorchester on Feb. 20, 1930, she was the daughter of the late John and Katherine (Sunderland) Murphy. She was raised in Dorchester and was a proud 1947 graduate of Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Brighton. Prior to starting her family, Joan worked for New England Telephone. When her children were grown, she returned to the workforce as a clerk at Merchants Apothecary on Maple Street in Danvers, which merged with Eaton Apothecary prior to her retirement at age 80. A 72-year resident of Beverly in the home she came to as a newlywed, Joan was an active member of the former Saint Alphonsus Parish, where she sang in the choir and was the CCD secretary. More recently, she was a daily communicant of Saint Mary of the Annunciation Church in Danvers, where she was a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court Henry A. Sullivan. Joan was an avid and accomplished bowler, enjoying camaraderie with her bowling team at the Beverly Bowl-A-Mat and later at Sunnyside Bowladrome. Her 90th birthday was celebrated with three strings of bowling. She practiced Tai Chi for many years under the instruction of her son, Paul, and enjoyed the exercise classes offered by the Beverly Senior Center. Through her life she strived to make every day a “good day” for herself and those around her. Each day was begun with meditation and prayer then an email to her family and friends. Her daily purpose was to make a difference to anyone she encountered, be they family, friends, neighbors, a stranger in the street or someone she met in a checkout line. She and Bill always kept their door open to family, friends, or anyone that would walk through their door for a cup of coffee, a place to stay, or a chat. Her kindness and wisdom are sorely missed but the example she set will echo through our generations. She leaves six children, Carol Mahoney of Peabody, Stephen Mahoney of Salem, NH, Paul Mahoney and his wife Kathy of Woodstock, VT, Katherine Lauranzano and her husband Christopher of Beverly, Trish Mahoney-Diefenbach of Peabody, and Julie Gentile and her husband Peter of Beverly, her grandchildren, Kelly (Seth) Bell, Regina (Matthew) Naboshek, Gregory (Sadie), Andrew (Dana) Lauranzano, Sean (Angie) Jared, and Leah Mahoney, Thomas (Djamila) Dawson, Emily Sweeney, and Daniel and Rachel Gentile, Paul (Tara), Michael and Scott Diefenbach her great-grandchildren, Ava, Declan, Keegan, Milla, Ellis, Lazarus, Camille, Aubrey, Evelyn, Silas, Sunny, Callan, Declan and Thomas. She also leaves her many nieces, nephews, Godchildren, Dover cousins and lifelong friends that were each close to her heart and her favorite. She was predeceased by her granddaughter, Erin Dawson, her daughter-in-law, Cheryl Wheelwright, her son-in-law, Paul Diefenbach, and her siblings, Rita Gordon and John “Jack” Murphy. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, May 27, 2022 at 10AM in Saint Mary of the Annunciation Church, 24 Conant St., Danvers. Relatives and friends are invited to the Mass. As requested, there are no visiting hours and burial is private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s name may be made to Neurofibromatosis Northeast, 8 Bedford St., Burlington, MA 01803. To share an expression of sympathy with Joan’s family, please visit www.LyonsFuneral.com.