MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD ON JULY 30, 2021 AT 10:00 AT
ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, CANTON, MASS
Joan Kelly Hale, 85, of Springfield, formerly of Wilbraham and Canton, died peacefully on August 1, 2020. The daughter of Joseph and Edna (Hewitt) Kelly, she was raised in N. Easton, MA. After graduating from Oliver Ames H.S. in 1952 she studied at the Boston Dispensary and worked in the Bacteriology Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Joan married Frank Hale III in 1958 and together they raised six children in Canton: sons Frank, Michael (Rachel) of Northampton and Thomas (Lauri) of Woodbridge, VA, and daughters Mary-Lee Hood (Tom) of Memphis, TN, Kelly Hale of State College, PA, and Catherine Duquette (Tom) of Wilbraham, MA. Joan was heavily involved in the Canton community, volunteering for F.I.S.H., Red Cross Blood Drives, Canton Garden Club and especially at St. John the Evangelist Church as a pre-cana counselor, Eucharistic minister, and in the CCD program.
Joan was preceded in death by her husband, sister Mary (Boyle), and her son, Francis IV. She is survived by her brothers Peter (Chagrin Falls, OH) and Paul (S. Easton). She leaves behind 10 grandchildren who will dearly miss her.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Church, Canton on Friday, July 30, 2021 at 10:00. Joan’s family will receive visitors at Dockray and Thomas Funeral Home, Canton, from 8:30-9:30 prior to the service.
Donations in Joan’s name may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society PO Box 265 Canton, MA 02021 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105.