Born August 5, 1937, the daughter of Harlow Eugene and Katharine White Kibbe, she grew up in West Springfield, Mass. She attended Wheaton College (Mass.) and Syracuse University, where she took a Bachelor's in Music degree, and a Master's degree in Music Theory and History. She also attained masters-plus-30 certification through the Kodaly Musical Training Institute at Hartt School of Music (Conn.) and elsewhere.
Music was the lodestar of Joan's life and career. While in high school, she was selected for the Young People's Symphony in Springfield, and twice for the Massachusetts All- State Orchestra. She worked at Tanglewood Music Center during summers. She was a member of the Syracuse University Symphony. Music for her was a language, which she could "decode” into solfege in two hearings. She loved to share it with others, and to savor it herself. She met her husband over Mahler's Second Symphony.
The flute was her principal instrument. She studied into the 1970's under James Pappoutsakis of the Boston Symphony, and Marcel Moyse of Marlboro Music School. She performed frequently during that time, often playing early music with Dr. Oliver Francisco on the harpsichord. Joan also played piano, piccolo, and each of the four recorders.
Joan taught music in various settings for more than 45 years. She taught six years in Syracuse-area schools before moving to Keene. Here she taught primarily at Symonds Elementary School (20 years), Monadnock Waldorf School (5 years), adjunct classes at Keene State College, as well as at Monadnock Regional High School, and outlying schools in the Keene Supervisory Union. At several of her schools, she formed and conducted choruses, and introduced her students to folk music and dance, including line and contra-dance. Forming Morris dance teams was especially enjoyable.
She was a fifty-year resident of Swanzey, where she served on the Conservation Commission at its inception. The Swanzey Recycling Center was their creation.
Joan is survived by her husband of 30 years, Richard A. Scaramelli (and the latest of their five black Labrador dogs, "Gilligan"), his daughters Pamela Scaramelli of Florence, Italy, and Rebecca Hagman of Hollis NH, and their six children. She also leaves nephew J.C. Kibbe, niece Elenita Kibbe of Bradenton FL, cousin Douglas Schenk of Wales MA, and second cousin Sandra Stickane of Roanoke TX. Her parents, and her younger brother, John, pre-deceased her. Although she gave it scant significance, she was of vintage New England ancestry, descended of Elder John White (Cambridge MA, 1632) and Edward Kibbe (Brookline MA, 1640s).
In retirement, she worked tirelessly at recreating the flower gardens of her grandfather beside the Connecticut River in West Springfield. In younger days, she enjoyed stenciling 19th-century chair stock, seam-stressing, and quilting.
Her final gifts to music were two: underwriting one of four new bells for the bell tower at Crouse College, Syracuse; and the restoration of the 1851 square grand piano at Mt. Caesar Seminary (now Mt. Caesar Library) in Swanzey.
At her request, there shall be no services. She will be interred in the family plot at Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery, West Springfield, later in the summer.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joan's memory may be made to the Monadnock Humane Society,101 West Swanzey Road, West Swanzey NH 03446; the Community Kitchen, 37 Mechanic St., Keene, NH 03431; or to the Crouse College Chimes Project, Syracuse Univ., Syracuse NY 13244.
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