Joan L. Berecz

Our merciful God granted Joan her last wish ... "to die peacefully at home." She died yesterday, November 3rd after suffering through a long series of health issues. Her husband ... friend, lover, and life partner of 67 years ... Vic was at her side, as were her son Steve and his wife Illya. She was very pleased to have wonderful visits in the last week of her life with her daughter Kim and her sister Janet and be able to say goodbye to them.
Joan Margaret Marion Luhrs Berecz, of Fort Myers Beach, FL and Fairfield, CT, was born in Brooklyn, NY to German immigrants, John and Mathilde Luhrs. Her family moved to Norwalk, CT in 1953 when her father became proprietor of the Silvermine Market in New Canaan. Joan graduated from Norwalk High School in the Class of 1956. She attended Valparaiso University and received her B.S. in Nursing from Columbia University. She was a Registered Nurse with licenses to practice in New York, Colorado, and Connecticut.
Early in Joan's nursing career, she specialized in pediatrics and participated in the opening of the teen unit at Denver Children's Hospital. She also was employed in school and public health nursing in Norwalk and New Canaan. The latter part of her nursing career was in geriatric facilities in the Fairfield area, including a stint as Assistant Director of Nursing at a large Bridgeport nursing home. She was much loved by the aides (CNAs) that worked for her because she never asked them to do anything she wouldn't pitch-in and do herself if needed.
Later she was employed as a tax-preparer including a year as office manager for H&R Block in East Hartford. After relocating to Florida, Joan worked for 20 years as a volunteer with the AARP Tax-Aide program as a tax preparer, quality control specialist and site manager in the Fort Myers Beach area.
While her children were in school, Joan did considerable volunteer work with the PTA and Band Parents organizations of Osborne Hill School, Fairfield Woods JHS, and Andrew Warde HS, and also with the Scouts and the Lake Hills Association. She was a member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Fairfield and St. Peter Lutheran Church in Fort Myers Beach where she was active in the WELCA groups of both, as well as the Altar Guild and other organizations.
Joan very much enjoyed her years as a nurse and as a mother. But, in recent years she freely admitted that the greatest joy of her life was being a part of the growing-up process of her five grandchildren provided by Steve and Illya and Kim and her husband Tony. For years Joan was afraid she'd have to make-do with just a grand-dog. She was thrilled when the three boys ... Jake, Ryan, and Marc ... came along in fairly rapid succession. She was overjoyed to finally be able to shop on the pink side of Carter's after the twin girls ... Casey and Sydney ... were born. She was an exceptional Oma to five exceptional kids, who are now delightful teens.
The family wishes to thank the staff, especially the nurses, of the Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, and the Hartford Healthcare at Home Hospice for their excellent care over the last several months. And, we particularly want to thank Evelyne M, who was Joan's extraordinary caregiver during her last weeks of life.
A Memorial Service to celebrate Joan's life will be planned for a later date. Charitable donations in memory of Joan would be much appreciated. She suggested the Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers, FL and/or Operation Hope in Fairfield, CT.