Joan Lurella Nieckarz, age 90, of Cary, North Carolina, passed away on Thursday, April 11, 2024 at Sunrise of Cary. She was born on January 20, 1934 in Schenectady, New York, as the daughter of the late John Gardiner and Helen Rucinski Gardiner.
Joan met her husband of 66 years, Mike, in high school, were they became friends prior to being a couple. She graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a BA in Education in 1955, after which she worked as a Technical Editor at General Electric for 10 years. She was an avid bridge and mahjong player, and was a member of the Junior League in Syracuse, NY. She also enjoyed playing golf, and was quite proud of her “hole in one” at the Bird Bay Golf Course in Venice, FL, in 2001. Later, Joan loved being a grandmother and loved traveling. Her favorite place in the summer was “the camp” on Sacandaga Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Joan was particularly known for being kind to everyone she met and her ability to have a conversation with practically anyone.
She is lovingly remembered by her husband: Michael Nieckarz, of Cary; by her daughter: Lynn Wassel and husband Peter; and by her grandchildren: Matthew, Andrew, and Kevin
She was preceded in death by her parents and by a daughter, Beth (1997).
A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, April 29, 2024 at 11:00 am St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cary, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Joan to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research ( https://www.michaeljfox.org/ )
If you would like to leave a favorite memory / story of Joan or a message of condolence to her husband, Michael and their family; you may do so below within "Add a Memory".
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5