Obituary
Obituary of Joan Lucia Avitabile
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Joan Lucia Avitabile, 67, died peacefully Monday, January 4th, surrounded by family
and friends at Saint Raphael’s Hospital in New Haven. Joan was the daughter of the
late James Vincent Avitabile and Mary Papa Avitabile. She is survived by her brother
James Avitabile, his wife, Maria, their three daughters:Maria Alicia (Michael) Fernandez,
Lucia Lucia Elena (Robert) Mack and Carmen Gerardine (Timothy) Keslar, and 8 great
nieces/nephews, her many beloved aunts, uncles and cousins of the Avitabile and Papa
families. She is also mourned by many dear friends who loved her like family.
Joan worked in the public schools and supermarkets of the area over the for almost 50
years. While attending college, Joan worked as a meat wrapper to pay for her
education, and continued part-time work in the supermarkets in customer service and
new store set-up for many years, even when she became a guidance counselor. She
made close and lifelong friends with her co-workers. When she graduated from SCSU, Joan began her career in education as a 2nd grade teacher in Branford. She began to work in the New Haven Public Schools in 1969. She worked on Special Projects, and then as a guidance counselor at the Sheridan Middle School. In 1975, Joan began to work at High School in the Community,where she remained as the counselor and important member of the leadership group of the school for more than 20 years. Her educational philosophies were critical to the progress and strength of the school. She worked with students, parents, teachers, central school administrators, always with the belief that each individual deserved respect. She saw the goodness in everyone.
When, after twenty years, she left High School in the Community, she served as
assistant principal at Lincoln-Bassett K-8 School and then retired. Joan later returned to work part-time at the Sound School, then at the Metropolitan Business Academy and finally at CROSS CT Scholars Academy. She was responsible for guidance of the students,but also played an essential role in the development of those new schools and programs. She was paid for part-time work, but Joan never did anything part-time. She worked tirelessly to improve the schools for the benefit of the students of New Haven.
She was widely loved and respected by colleagues throughout the school system and
by those many hundreds of students she worked with over her long career. Many credit
her guidance with inspiring them to achieve leadership positions in education or to
follow her path in counseling. Her compassion,humor, energy, and vision were
extraordinary. She will be greatly missed. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday morning at 9:30 in St. Vincent de Paul Church, Taylor Ave., East Haven. Entombment will follow in St. Lawrence Cemetery Mausoleum. There are no calling hours. Arrangements are with the Clancy Funeral Home, 43 Kirkham Ave., East Haven. Donations in her honor can be made to the New Haven Scholarship Fund P.O. Box 8936, New Haven, Ct. 06532-8936 or online at Newhavenscholarshipfund@yahoo.com.
A Memorial Tree was planted for Joan
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Clancy-Palumbo Funeral Home
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In Loving Memory
Joan Avitabile
Monday, January 4, 2010
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Services for Joan Avitabile
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