Joan Phelan Moore, age 79 of Boca Raton passed away July 9, 2012 in her summer home in Waynesville, NC. She was born August 7, 1932 in Springfield, MA, to the late Andrew and Rose Phelan. She graduated from St. Peters High School, class of 1948, in Worcester, MA. Joan met her future husband, Don, at a local YWCA dance in the winter of 1951 and they later married in Worcester, MA, November 15, 1952. Joan and Don soon began a family and moved to Hollywood, FL, in 1959. They eventually moved to Boca Raton, FL, with their 5 children in 1974. Upon moving to Boca, she began volunteer work with the elderly at the South County Neighborhood Center, eventually becoming the Director of the Horizons Program at the Mae Volen Senior Center, retiring in 1994.

Joan was devout in her faith and was a parishioner of Annunciation Catholic Church in Hollywood, FL, from 1961 until she moved to Boca Raton in 1974, where she then became a parishioner of Ascension Catholic Church and serving proudly as a Eucharistic Minister until her death. She was also very active in local politics, volunteering many hours to her favorite former Congressman Robert Wexler and Carol Hanson, former Florida State Representative and Mayor of Boca Raton. Joan was awarded the 1985 Community Service Award by the Boca Raton News in appreciation of her outstanding service to the community.

Joan is survived by her loving husband of nearly 60 years, Donald; four children, Kathleen Schneider, Rosanne Butler, Mary Voorhees and Theresa Perrotta; sister, Ann Church; 6 grandchildren, Patrick, Don, Robert, Connor, Grace and Bridget along with a host of relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her loving son Paul and grandson Andrew.

Funeral services will be held at Ascension Church on Thursday, July 19th at 11:00 AM, followed by a reception in the parish hall. Joan will be interred at the Fussell Cemetery in Rose Hill, NC, where she will be gently laid to rest next to her deceased son, Paul, whom she cherished and adored. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Rest peacefully Mother dear.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Paul Moore Scholarship Fund, 160 W. Camino Real #133, Boca Raton, FL, 33432 or online at www.facebook.com/paulmoorescholarshipfund.