Obituary of Joan H. Avery

Joan H. (Gangested) a longtime employee of BayBank passed away after a long illness on Sunday morning, August 13, 2023.  She was 77 years old.  Joan was born in Cambridge and grew up in East Cambridge.  She was a graduate of Sacred Heart High School.  She raised her daughters in East Cambridge and Somerville and then spent her retirement years living in Arlington.  She worked part time at BayBank when her children were younger and then went full time when they were older and well settled in school.  She worked as a clerk in the bank’s processing department until her health issues forced her to stop working at the age of 55.  Over the past 20 years, her doctors on numerous occasions thought she would not survive, but she always proved them wrong. 

Her family will remember the healthy Joan.  The person who was full of energy, was the life of the party, and was extremely generous.  They will also remember Saturdays in the summer months spent at local beaches in the area and how she loved to dance.  In her later years, her days were spent indulging her one and only granddaughter, Shannon, and keeping up with her favorite game shows, soap operas, and “Judge Judy”.  She loved and appreciated the time spent with her family and their care and assistance they all lovingly offered to her. 

Joan was the loving mother of Karen Oliver and her husband Scott of Nashua, NH and Julie Nicoloro and her husband John of Burlington.  She was the extremely proud grandmother of Shannon Oliver of Nashua, NH.  She was the sister of Edna Mangiacotti of Saugus, George Gangested of Medford, and William Gangested of Israel.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington on Tuesday, August 15 from 4-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the Sullivan Funeral Home on Wednesday, August 16 at 11 a.m.  The interment will be private.  Memorials in Joan’s name may be made to the American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-7023