Joan A. Van Pelt

Walltham - Mrs. Joan Ann (Talias) Van Pelt, of Weston, Massachusetts and Venice, Florida, died Monday, July 9, 2012 in Newton-Wellesley Hospital, with her daughter and daughter-in-law by her side. She was 72.

Joan was born on July 24, 1939 in Union, New Jersey, daughter of the late Michael and Josephine (Tomasso) Talias. She was a graduate of Kean College in New Jersey. Joan married the love of her life, Richard F. Van Pelt, on August 19, 1961. They welcomed their firstborn Richard Scott in 1963 and daughter Lisa followed in 1969. Joan was a teacher, she taught both elementary and high school education and later in life, taught English as a Second Language to adults working in the healthcare services industry. Above all, Joan was a devoted, loving, caring and compassionate wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend—to know Joan was to love her.

Joan loved keeping active. She played competitive tennis and enjoyed a good round of golf. She was an overall sports enthusiast and could be found many Saturday and Sunday afternoons in front of a televised golf tournament, tennis match or football game, loudly and enthusiastically cheering on her player or team. Other interests included spending time with friends and family, sharing a good meal and a glass of wine with those she loved, traveling, playing mah-jongg and dominoes with her friends, starting her day with a challenging crossword puzzle, cooking and entertaining. She became a resident of Venice Florida in 2004 and treasured the friends she made and the time she spent there.

She was a member of Saint Julia's Parish, The Moose Lodge in Venice and The Algonquin Club in Boston.

Her beloved husband Richard died October 7, 2002 and their cherished son Scott died July 10, 1990. Joan endured these tremendous losses with strength and dignity and continued to embrace life and all the good that it offered.

She leaves her daughter, Lisa J. Crutchfield and her husband, Thomas, of Weston; her daughter-in-law, Kim (Buchanan) Van Pelt Scheck and her husband, Jerold, of Poughkeepsie, New York; her grandchildren, Scott Joseph Crutchfield, Shelby Nicole Crutchfield and Richard Everett Crutchfield, Riva Fallon Scheck and Andrew Van Pelt Scheck; her siblings, Arlene Sommer and her husband, Karl Sommer of Jackson, New Jersey and Michael Talias of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey; her nieces, nephews, cousins and uncles.

Family and friends will honor and remember Joan's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday, July 13th from 5 to 8 p.m. and again on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. before leaving in procession to Saint Julia's Church, 374 Boston Post Road, Weston where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12 noon. Burial will be private.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718 Oklahoma City, OK, 73123-1718, www.cancer.org, or to Greyhound Friends, 167 Saddle Hill Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748.