1942 - 2021
No Vistitation Date Scheduled
No Funeral Date Scheduled
Joan “Joanie” Lesleigh (Laverty) Barrett, 78, of Chelmsford, MA died peacefully Friday, August 27, 2021 at Lowell General Hospital with her family by her side, after a courageous battle with cancer.
She was the beloved wife of William “Bill” F. Barrett Jr. with whom she would have celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary this year on December 23rd.
Joan was born in Lowell, MA, December 28th, 1942, daughter of the late Elmer and Dorothy (Adams) Laverty. She graduated from Lowell High School with the class of 1960. In high school, Joan was in the marching and baton twirling unit known as “The Starlets” and the “Shipwrecks” dance and twirl trio. She participated in many competitions, winning more than 20 medals and 7 trophies. Before becoming a homemaker, Joan was a secretary at Sanders Associates in Bedford, MA in the Forward Area Alerting Radar (FAAR) engineering department. She was also a “Meter Maid” for the city of Lowell.
Joan loved to decorate her house, especially for Christmas which was her favorite holiday. Joan also loved the beach, spending summers at both Seabrook and Rye Beach in New Hampshire. She also enjoyed looking at pictures of the beach. You could always find Joan outside in her gazebo enjoying her flowers and garden. Some of Joan’s other favorite things were making websites, writing poetry, and cooking. Joan also enjoyed spending countless hours talking to her sister Gayle on the phone.
Beside her husband Joan is survived by her daughter Mary Lee Barrett, of Chelmsford, MA, her brother and his wife William and Karen Laverty of Tyngsboro, MA, her sister Gayle Sobanek and her fiancé Lucien ‘Butch” Gilbert of Chelmsford, MA, her sister-in-law Sheila (Barrett) McNiff Lasley of North Carolina, several nieces and nephews and a dear friend Jimmy Murray of Florida.
She was also the sister-in-law of the late Michael J. Barrett and the daughter in law of the late William F. Barrett and Marguerite A (Grady) Barrett.
There are no calling hours. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Jim Murray
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Joan was a kind, loving and devout wife and mother who will be greatly missed by Bill and Mary Lee as well as her siblings and friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Jeanie and with Bill and Mary Lee. Thank you for being our friend these many years
Bill Edgette
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Uncle Billy,
I wish I could properly convey the sadness, emotion, empathy, and loss I feel for you now and words could provide at least a bit of comfort to you. Please hang in there and ‘keep the faith’ – there are better and brighter days ahead – I promise you. You and Joan’s soul will be in my prayers.
Michele Mcniff
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Uncle Billy, I am so sorry for the loss of your Love Joanie and our Aunt. I can still hear her laugh when I see her face. We love you and Mary Lee always. Sending comfort and happy memories to your heart.
Love, Michele Eric and Swami
(We love you Spaghetti Head)