Joanne Marie Parks, 76, of Center Road in Cornish, passed from this earth Wednesday afternoon, December 10, 2008 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon.  She was a very generous and giving soul and a loving mother who will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

She was born in  Portland, Maine on June 12, 1932 to Thomas J. Conroy and Eleanor M. Gullifer. 

Joanne had resided in Maine before moving to New Hampshire in 1966.  She was a career employee of AT & T, which she referred to as “Ma Bell” and retired in 1994.  She was a member of the Telephone Pioneers and the  Eastern Star.  She was a lifelong member of the United Church of Cornish.  She had a very deep faith in God and was of strong moral fiber.  She also served as a den mother for the Cornish Cub Scout Pack 332.

She had traveled to London, Ireland, Mexico, and extensively throughout the U.S.  She was very proud of her Irish heritage.  She loved lighthouses and went on a lighthouse tour of the Cape with her sons and their wives to celebrate her 70^th  birthday.

She was an avid football fan.  Her favorite team was the Green Bay Packers, particularly Brett Favre.  She studied every aspect of the game and had won some fantasy football leagues.  She was especially proud of the week that she picked every game in the NFL right.  She was a prize winning amateur photographer and loved flower gardening.  She loved to be around family and friends and loved a good practical joke.  Another joy of hers was to sit peacefully on her porch observing nature and watching the birds come and go from her feeders.

She is survived by three sons, Franklin, Daniel and Stephen all of Cornish; two brothers, Edward Conroy of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and Thomas Conroy of Portland, Maine; one sister, Jean Hopkins also of Portland, Maine also nieces and nephews.  She was pre-deceased by one brother, Richard Conroy late of Portland. 

She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and mother-in-law who was adored.

Above all else, her boys were the love of her life and she theirs.  Throughout her life she made many sacrifices and endured many things to spare her sons of any pain or worry.  God bless her and let her now enjoy her much deserved place in Heaven.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon, December 17^th at One O’clock in the Stringer Funeral Home,  146 Broad Street in Claremont with Pastor Priscilla Hull, officiating.

Friends may call at the Funeral Home on Wednesday from 11 to 1 PM prior to the services.

The family suggest that donations may be made in her memory to any local branch of the Salvation Army.