Joan Ruth Dunleavy

Joan graduated from Scranton Technical High School and was awarded a full scholarship to Juilliard for piano and alto singing. She decided to not go.?.

Joan and Francis (Razz) Dunleavy were married at Camp Lejeune on July 8, 1953 while visiting her baby brother, Billy (predeceased) and together they shared 53 years of marriage. Joan swore she was still married to him even though he left us on June 26, 2007 prior to their anniversary. She would tell you she was married for 71 years, but stopped listening to her 17 years ago. She still yelled at his urn, but he never responded until a few days ago?!

Joan was a 93-year-old avid Mets Fan. She worked for 23 years at the Stadium Ticket Office, in Port St Lucie, FL; as well as at home as their seamstress. She went to greet any player arriving at PBI with her hubby Francis JJ Dunleavy who predeceased her in 2007. They not only picked them up but also made sure they had a meal. Those young enough were taught by Joan to cut coupons and grocery shop. On Sundays with a home game; it wasn’t unusual for up to 15 players to come to their home for dinner and learn to do their laundry. The (SMART) slow players would say how they didn’t understand and if there was a home game next week ask to try it again and maybe have spaghetti and meatballs.

Joan loved being involved with kid’s baseball and football leagues in Andover, New Jersey, Dancing with The Stars, The Mets Organization, and her Soap Operas. Facebook kept her in touch with players, their parents, girlfriends and wives. Her grandchildren: Alexander Francis Barnhill and Ashley Nicole Barnhill were always her favorites. She adored her Grand Pups, and added Great Grand Ponies, Horses, Pups, and Kitties which all took a back seat when Tamia came into the family. Her very own Great Grand Daughter! Joan bragged to everyone about how proud she was of Tamia graduating from Penn State and becoming an ICU nurse.

Joan is survived by her only daughter, Cheryl RD Barnhill and her husband Jeffrey; Alexander Barnhill whom she lived with for the past 16 years; Alexander Francis Barnhill, her favorite Grandson and his fiancée Shawn Marye Fazekas of Rockwall, TX, Ashley Nicole Barnhill-Lopez, her favorite Granddaughter and her husband Robert Pedro Lopez of York Springs, PA. Joan loved last summer living with them to be a part of all the planning for their wedding.

Tamia Marie Lopez, her favorite Great Granddaughter and Matthew Rice, Tamia’s fiancé who live in Macungie, PA and planning to marry in 2025; a niece, Mary Reinhardt and her husband Jerel with their family of Hamptonville, NC. Aunt Joan remembered birthdays and anniversaries of Mary, and all other generations; several nieces and nephews, Mike, Judy, Helen and all their children and grandchildren whom she kept in communication with cards for birthdays and anniversaries.

There is no service planned at this time. We will advise as to honoring Joan, and Frank, with the Mets and/or St. Lucie Mets sometime during the St Lucie Mets 2025 Season.

In lieu of Flowers and Gifts, please make Donations in Joan’s Memory to The Kevin C Barnhill Memorial Scholarship and Community Outreach Fund. This is Cheryl and Jeff’s nephew who was a victim of homicide in Mason, OH. There is a Facebook wall that explains how the foundation helps high school graduates advance their education and keep Kevin’s memory alive on the baseball field built, in his memory, by his family and the Cincinnati Reds.