Northborough/Naples, Fla. – Joann T. (Frazetti) Anthony, 78, passed away at her home in Northborough on June 24, 2021 after a period of declining health.
Joann was born and raised in Needham, the daughter of Carmelo and Ellen (Olson) Frazetti. She enjoyed being part of a close-knit extended family and looked forward to holidays and reasons to be together to celebrate. As a beloved wife, loving mother and doting grandmother, Joann never lost the joy of having her family close by, celebrating together.
After her graduation in 1961 from Needham Public High School, Joann studied at Boston College where in 1965 she was awarded a Bachelor of Science in history with an education minor. Married to George S. Anthony, together they embarked on a wonderful 56-year marriage.
The young couple lived a short time in Needham and Brockton before moving to Sharon in 1970 where they raised their four daughters. Joann took pride in being an at-home mother during her daughters’ early years and even while enjoying tending to household matters, became an early supporter of women’s rights and fiercely defended the human rights of all Americans.
Joann worked numerous years as a regional manager in the IRS’s Taxpayer Advocate Office. With a true caring for others and an infectious smile, Joann looked forward to helping others, taxpayers included!
For several years Joann and George enjoyed sharing a vacation home in Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod with their family and resided there after Joann and George retired in 2005. During the past 12 years they looked forward to wintering in Naples, Florida where they made many new friends.
Always wanting to help others, Joann served as a board member and then, for several years, President of the Sterling Greens II Condo Association within the Glen Eagle Golf and Country Club in Naples. As an avid reader herself, Joann had a close-knit group of friends in her beloved UUCGN Book Club, where much laughter was enjoyed amidst discussions of great literature. This love of books was passed on to her grandchildren, with whom many hours were passed cuddling with books. During Covid, she ingeniously created a Zoom storytelling hour with her youngest grandchildren, who looked forward to this special time. Joann’s greatest joy was being a grandmother.
She found pleasure in knitting stuffed toys and making each grandchild a “big bed” blanket when they began sleeping in their youth bed. Joann was also an accomplished cook and great baker who passed down treasured family recipes and, importantly, knew each grandchild’s favorite snack which she would lovingly make for them.
In 2013 Joann and George relocated to Northborough to be closer to their extended family.
In addition to her husband, George, Joann is survived by her four daughters, Elizabeth Bibeau and her husband Mark of Chandler, Texas, Christine D. Anthony and her husband Eric Richman of Westborough, Catherine Adair and her husband Ronald of Ashburnham, and Mary-Joan Sheerin and her husband William of Worcester. Joann also leaves her nine beloved grandchildren, Raphael and Eli Richman; Carmella, George, Francis, Kateri and Ava Adair; Cole and William Sheerin, as well as her sister, Mary-Ellen Conley and her husband Edward; nephews Edward and Stephen Conley and niece Jeanne-Ellen Lund. In addition to cousins, great-nephews and nieces and both a great-great-niece and nephew.
A calling hour will take place on Thursday, July 1, from 12-1 p.m., at Hays Funeral Home, 56 Main St., Northborough. A memorial service will immediately follow at 1 p.m. in the funeral home. Joann will be laid to rest privately in Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Newton.
Joann’s family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in her memory to either the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples, 6340 Napa Woods Way, Naples, FL 34116, or Books for Collier Kids, PO Box 10811, Naples, FL 34101.
