Joan Marie Welter Willbanks, daughter of the late Frank and Hazel Harkins Welter, was born on January 18, 1930 in Newark, NY. She grew up and remained in Pittsfield, MA for most of her life.
Joan was married to Jack Willbanks in May 1952, and remained happily married until his death 55 years later. She leaves her three children, Lorie Reder (m. Howard Karmel), Jeffrey Willbanks (m. Marguerite Shannon), and Leanne Willbanks. She was loved by her three grandchildren, Frank Reder, Ali Fetzer, and Jack Reder, who happily spent innumerable hours with their grandparents in Pittsfield and New Jersey.
Joan is predeceased by her brother, Gene Welter, her sister, Nancy Carroll, and son in-law, Mark Reder. She has a multitude of nieces and nephews, who have all spent many hours at Joan and Jack’s West St home for family gatherings and holidays.
Joan was a compassionate and faithful woman who was always ready to welcome friends and family into her home.
Joan was a graduate of St. Joseph’s High School and Pittsfield Secretarial School. She worked as an executive secretary at Berkshire Bank until 1955. In addition to devoting many hours to her family, Joan was very active in her church community at St. Marks. She taught CCD, splendidly decorated the church for Christmas and Easter, and spoke as a Lector. She received the Pius X Award for outstanding service in the church community in the Diocese of Springfield. In addition, Joan was a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and a synchronized swimming instructor as a young woman. She was President of the Pittsfield Council of Campfire Girls, President of the Parent Teachers Organization of Notre Dame Middle School, Chairperson of the Speakers Bureau of United Community Services, and helped organize the Pregnancy Support Service of Berkshire County in 1972. She was a corporate member of the Brightside Home for Children in West Springfield and has been a sustaining member of the Junior League of Berkshire County. She volunteered at the Berkshire Museum Shop for many years.
Joan leaves a legacy of her love for beauty in gardens and art, which was revealed time and again in her gracious home, her beautiful paintings, and craft work. She enjoyed the outdoors immensely, and made many wonderful friends playing tennis, skiing and swimming.
Her love for her family and her faith will certainly persist beyond her life.
FUNERAL NOTICE: A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held, TUESDAY, May 9, 2023 at 9 a.m. at ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, 414 North St, Pittsfield, celebrated by Rev. Msgr. Michael Shershanovich, Pastor. Entombment will follow at St. Michael the Archangel Mausoleum in St. Joseph Cemetery. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Catholic Charities or the Alzheimer’s Association and mailed to Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St, Pittsfield, MA 01201.