Joan Saunders

Joan Modarelli Saunders, 83, formerly from Ridgewood NJ and Larchmont NY, passed away on February 17, 2023. She died peacefully in her home at Waltonwood Memory Care in Cary, NC where she had been residing since 2021. She was under hospice care.

Joan was born on July 30, 1939 in Girard, OH to the late Joseph and Bessie Modarelli. She was the youngest of three daughters. Joanie attended Stephens College, an all women’s school, in Columbia, Missouri where she earned her Associates Degree in Humanities. It is at Stephens where she took a great liking to studying theology and was named the chaplain of her class. Shortly after graduation, she met the love of her life, Richard Saunders. Joanie and her beloved husband Dick married in 1963 and moved to New York City where they had their first child, Julie. They relocated to Port Washington, NY, and Tulsa, Oklahoma (where Laura was born) before finally settling in Ridgewood, NJ in 1972. Joanie and Dick continued raising their two daughters in Ridgewood where Joanie was a happy homemaker and active volunteer in the Junior League and at her parish.

After Dick’s death in 1978 from brain cancer, Joanie worked as a parish secretary at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Ridgewood, an executive secretary at Merrill Lynch in New York City, and a technical recruiter at Trecom Inc. For ten years, Joanie commuted to and from NYC while single-handedly raising her two daughters in the suburbs. As busy as she was during those years, she always prioritized the well-being of her daughters and strived to preserve the lifestyle that she and Dick had created prior to his passing. Her local neighbors, family, and friends were an incredible source of support and strength for her during those challenging years. In addition to supporting her family,, Joanie continually nurtured and maintained her loving Spirit, deep faith in God, and a joie de vivre - all with that classic “Joanie” style with incredible grace.

After her girls left for college, Joanie moved to Park Slope in Brooklyn. She loved city life! But when Julie and her husband moved their family to Westchester County, Joanie relocated to Larchmont, NY to be closer to them.

In Larchmont, Joanie worked as a part-time secretary at St. John’s Church until she retired.

During her time in Larchmont, Joanie divided her time between being “Nanny” to her grandchildren, sunbathing at Manor Park or Shelter Island, and traveling to Manhattan to attend concerts, plays, operas, and weekly church services at her beloved St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Fifth Avenue.

Joanie battled Alzheimer's disease beginning in late 2018. She moved to Cary, NC to be near her daughter Laura in 2021.

We will miss her winks, her Nanny hugs, her contagious smile, and her homemade apple pies. Joanie’s ability to see beauty and joy in everyday things was remarkable - and it truly seemed as if anyone who met her instantly loved her.

Joanie is survived by her daughter Julie O’Shea and son-in-law Sean; daughter Laura Werner and son-in-law Joseph; sister Julie Costas and brother-in-law Bill; and seven grandchildren: Patrick O’Shea, Molly O’Shea, Tom O’Shea, John O’Shea, Katie O’Shea, Jack Werner and Timothy Werner.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 3, 2023 at 2:00 PM at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Fifth Avenue in New York, NY with a reception at the church parlor to follow. Her final resting place will be Valleau Cemetery, Ridgewood, NJ with her husband. Interment is scheduled for Saturday morning, March 4, 2023 at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be donated to St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Joan’s name via https://saintthomaschurch.tpsdb.com/Give/one-time-donation or to an appreciation fund for the Waltonwood Cary caregivers who truly loved her and cared for her in ways above and beyond their job description. These donations will be collected via Venmo @Laura-Werner-10 or write a check to Laura Werner. Please mail it to Apex Funeral Home, Attn: Laura Werner, 550 W Williams St, Apex, NC 27502.

Finally, fond memories and expressions of condolences for the family can be shared online at apexfuneral.net.