Margery Joan Raphael

RAPHAEL, MARGERY JOAN, of Westport, MA and Playa Panama, Costa Rica, passed away on March 21, 2016 in San Jose, Costa Rica as a result of complications from an accident. She was the daughter of the late Barbara (Cohan) Raphael and Sumner Raphael, M.D. and was born in Boston in 1947. She is survived by her husband Philip Weinstein, Esq., her brother David Raphael, and sister in law Diana (Morris) Raphael of Panton, VT. She also leaves her niece Mara Raphael of Los Angeles, CA and nephews Jory and Ben Raphael of Vergennes and Monkton, VT respectively, and 6 grand nieces and nephews all of whom adored their “Aunt Joanie”. Joanie, as her friend and family called her, grew up in Providence, RI and graduated from Lincoln School and obtained her B.A. from Skidmore College in 1969, where she studied art. She received an M.F.A. from the Mass. College of Art and began her career as an art teacher, working in the Brockton Public School System. Subsequent to her work in education, Joan worked for a number of years in the restaurant business in the Boston area, starting with the Cityside restaurant in Faneuil Hall Marketplace and until her retirement was a manager at Davios in the Back Bay. Those she worked with over the years became part of her extended family as she was universally loved and admired as a dedicated and trusted colleague. Joan was also an active alumna of the Lincoln School. Joan married Philip in Westport in September of 2005, and enjoyed a rich and full life with Philip, traveling throughout the world, playing golf, sharing dinner parties with their close network of devoted friends, and taking long walks on the beach at Acoaxet with her beloved Tibetan Terrier Tagi Momo. She also found an opportunity to work on behalf of an important cause at the Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, in a program focused on the local resettlement of refugees. Through the years Joanie’s family in Vermont held a special place in her heart and her nieces and nephews always looked forward to her visits during winter holidays and summer trips. She was always a fun loving and generous aunt. Joanie will be remembered for her beauty, intelligence, joie de vivre and as a dedicated daughter, loving wife, sister and aunt, and as a gracious and faithful friend to all who knew and loved her. A funeral service to celebrate Joan Raphael’s life will be held at Sugarman-Sinai Memorial Chapel, 458 Hope St., Providence at 10 AM on Monday March 28, 2016. Calling hours on Monday will be from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the home of Robert and Sheila Greenbaum.