Joan Pace

Joan (Merlino) Pace, of South Windsor and formerly of Wethersfield, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2020. Joan was born on November 2, 1930 to Joseph and Angela Merlino and was the loving wife of Carmen Pace for 68 years. In 1948, Joan graduated from Bulkeley High School and went to work at Aetna Life Insurance and then the G. Fox & Company. During her later years, Joan worked as an assistant to the Wethersfield Democratic Registrar of voters for 14 years. In her spare time, Joan enjoyed playing golf, painting beautiful pictures and working with her arts and crafts. Joan’s greatest joy in life though was enjoying time with her family, especially her greatly adored grandchildren and her great grandchildren.

Joan will be greatly missed by her devoted and loving husband Carmen, who was always there by her side, her three sons, Daniel and his wife Denise, Thomas and his wife Elaine, Steven and his companion Denise Blaede, her grandchildren, Jennifer Grahek and her husband William Grahek, James Pace and his companion Dana Baio, step-grandson, Tony Shelto and great-grandsons, Andrew and Harrison Grahek. Joan also leaves behind her sister, Dolores Merlino and brother, Frank Merlino, along with many friends, nieces and nephews. Joan was predeceased by her sister, Rosalie Reed. A very special thank you to the outstanding nurses and aides who work at the memory care unit at Brookdale South Windsor, and the wonderful health care professionals at Masonicare. There are not enough words to express the outstanding care you provided to our mother.

Calling hours will be Tuesday (January 21) from 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Incarnation, 544 Prospect St, Wethersfield. Burial will be in Village Cemetery in Wethersfield. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s memory may be made to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Foundation, 282 Washington St., Hartford, CT 06106. To share a memory of Joan with her family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com.