Catherine Joan Krant (Barry) of Medford, Massachusetts passed away in her childhood home, surrounded by love and soft blankets, on Tuesday, August 11.
Joan was born in Malden on January 23, 1939 and raised on Garfield Avenue in Medford. She was the second of seven children in a big Irish Catholic family, helmed by John P. and Hannah L. (Cox) Barry.
Joan met her high school sweetheart and devoted husband, Leo Krant, in 1957, and they quickly became inseparable. They were married on May 6, 1961 at Immaculate Conception Church in Malden and celebrated 65 years of marriage this year.
Before welcoming her daughters, Lorna and Michelle, Joan worked at the New England Gas Company where she fostered lifelong friendships with the women alongside her — a group affectionately nicknamed “the Gassers.”
In fact, wherever Joan went, she made friends. Neighbors, coworkers, teachers, fellow parishioners and volunteers, nurses, and luncheon buddies, Joan created a vibrant network of loved ones who she diligently stayed connected with through her legendary cards, calls, and dinners, expertly cooked by Leo.
Joan was active in the Catholic Church, with many years spent at St. Eulalia in Winchester, teaching CCD to youth and writing to the sick and their families.
In 1981, Joan and Leo bought her family home, where they welcomed family and friends and nurtured countless children. Everyone who stepped inside was greeted with amazing hugs and generous servings of chicken parmesan and Joan-approved cookies.
Before seeing Joan, you could hear the jingle of her charm bracelets and layers of necklaces, smell the warmth of her French perfume, and take in her latest holiday decorations. Joan held court in the kitchen, doing her crosswords under the wall phone. If you couldn’t swing by, you could always call.
In 1987, Joan returned to work at This End Up Furniture with her sister Sheila and her soon-to-be-adopted daughter, Ann. Joan extended her signature kindness to every customer, driver, and factory liaison she came in contact with. Eight amazing years grew into so much more.
Joan was a proud Democrat, fan of the Boston Celtics and Red Sox, expert decorator, and Hallmark Greeting Cards’ best customer. She loved reading her Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Peters mysteries, staying up late to watch David Letterman and Stephen Colbert, and listening to Simon and Garfunkel and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Every summer, Joan and Leo would make the drive west to Tanglewood for a peaceful week of classical music with their partners in fun, John and Elaine Krant. They also loved to swing by Revere Beach and visit cousins and friends in York, Maine.
Joan's legacy of love and kindness lives on through her family and friends. Besides her beloved husband, Leo, she’s survived by her daughters, Lorna M. Garey and her husband David of Malden, Michelle M. Krant of Medford, and Ann P. Walsh-MacLeod and her husband Tucker MacLeod of Princeton. She’s remembered by her six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren: Colleen Joan Garey and her husband Michael R. Fuller of Somerville; Anthony S. Irwin, his wife Catherine A. (Cat), and their daughters Holland Joan and Maeve Catherine of Fairfield, CT; Lauren H. Irwin of New York, NY; and Jacquelynn M. Irwin of Medford.
She’s also survived by her sisters, Sheila Marshall and her husband John of Woburn, and Patricia Keegan and her husband Joe of Moultonborough, New Hampshire, not to mention countless nieces, nephews, and godchildren.
Joan was predeceased by her siblings, MaryLou Parker, Robert Barry, James Barry, and Peter Barry as well as William Krant and his wife, Connie, and John Krant and his wife, Elaine.
Services will be held on Friday, August 21 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant St., Malden. A reception to celebrate Joan’s life will follow.
To be known and loved by Joan was a blessing.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to The Italian Home for Children, a cause close to Joan's and Leo's hearts. https://www.italianhome.org/give/