Joan (Jo) N. Monetta, 86, of Naples, FL died on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at Naples Community Hospital, Naples, FL. Joan was born in Woodstock, VT on October 1, 1927, the daughter of Bernard J. Macmann and Hattie L. Ocean Macmann Jones. She was pre-deceased by one brother, Craig Macmann, Cincinnati, Ohio.
On June 18, 1949, she married Theodore M. Monetta and this year would have marked their 65th wedding anniversary. They resided in Claremont, NH for thirty years until 1979 when her husband retired and they began spending winters in Naples, Fl. In 1997, they purchased a cottage on Bear Island, Lake Winnipesaukee, NH and spent ten wonderful summers on the lake with their children and grandchildren next door until retiring full time to Naples in 2007. She fondly recalled these years as some of the best of her life but she also dearly loved the Glades Country Club community where they resided for over 35 years.
Joan graduated from Towle High School, Newport, NH in the Class of 1945 and worked for Dunn and Bradstreet in Boston, MA, Joy Manufacturing, Claremont, NH, and the New England Telephone Company. She was a proud member of The General Society of Mayflower Descendants as a direct descendant of William Brewster. She was a past member of the Claremont Country Club Ladies Golf Association, Claremont, NH and The Glades Country Club Ladies Golf Association and The Glades Tennis Association, Naples, FL for many years. In Claremont, she was a communicant of St Mary’s Church and St. Anne’s in Naples, FL.
She is survived by her husband, Theodore M. Monetta, and her very special sister Bernie Macmann Sparta and her husband Sam of Avila Beach, California. Their three children: Michael S. Monetta and his wife Susan, Joan M. Lefebvre and her husband Paul, and Theodore C. Monetta and his wife Kelly. Their six grandchildren who she leaves with a million perfect memories: Michael T. Monetta, Nicholas A. Monetta and his wife Haruka, Benjamin P. Lefebvre and his wife Lindsey, Mallory J. Gendron and her husband Jesse, Tony Monetta and Ashley Monetta, one great grandchild, Ilee Monetta, an expected great grand baby girl due in late March, and an expected great grand baby boy due in early April as well as several nieces and nephews and her long time girlfriends, Mal and Lou.
Joan was best known for her lovely personality and sweet kind manner. She was a fabulous cook, had an extensive recipe collection and was her own greatest critic spending hours perfecting them. She could not resist the latest kitchen or TV gadget and shared countless purchases of them with her children and grandchildren. Beyond the cooking, she warmly extended her table to all her children and grandchildren’s friends and soon they too felt part of the family. In return, they gave her a connection to their world that she so loved to hear about and to discuss - especially at open table, Thursday nights, on Bear Island. She was well informed on political issues, topics of the day, and freely expressed her views. In the later years, you could find her behind her computer conversing through Skype, Facebook and email so as never to lose contact with her family and friends that she could no longer travel to. This wonderful lady will be missed so much.
Visiting Hours will be held Friday evening August 8th from 6 to 8 pm at the Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street, Claremont
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St Mary Church in Claremont on Saturday, August 9th at 11AM with Father Shawn Therrien, officiating. Burial will follow in The West Claremont Burying Grounds.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the National Emphysema Foundation, 128 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 www.emphysemafoundation.org 1-203-866-5000