Andy CloseThe world lost another wonderful and giving person on Jan. 12, 2022. Joanne Elizabeth Dobbs Lucia died of natural causes after living a long and fulfilling life of over 93 years.
She approached life with the idea that if there was an experience she had not done, it was her goal to try at least once.
She was a loving spouse to her husband, Leonard, married for 66 years until his death in June 2015. She was also a loving and dedicated mother to her children: David Lucia of Aubrey, Texas, Jon Lucia of Moline, Ill., and Susan Miltenberger of West Granby, Cconn, their spouses; and her four granddaughters: Katie Bardaro of Snoqualmie, Wash., Sara Miltenberger of West Hartford, Conn., Ari Lucia of Henderson, Nev., and Callie Miltenberger of West Granby, Conn.
She was the oldest daughter of Felix and Verna Dobbs of Warren, Pa., who both predeceased her. She also had wonderful relationships with her siblings and leaves behind two of them she loved dearly, Diana Young of Youngsville, Pa., and Dale Dobbs of Largo, Fla. She also leaves behind many relatives from both the Dobbs and Lucia extended families in many parts of the country including Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Florida.
Joan was born on April 25, 1928, and raised in Warren, Pa. She graduated from Warren High School in 1945, met Len after he came home from World War II and it was love at first sight. Len always said, once he “saw her in her bikini” (albeit 1940s style), he was smitten. They married in June 1949, and he went to work as a teacher in Cambridge Springs, Pa. Joan worked off and on over the early years as a secretary or executive assistant. From there they moved to Ohio for a few years and then the major move to Connecticut in the mid-1950s. Joan was raising the children but still found time to have several jobs over the years; worthy of mention would be working at the Rockville Junior Library for many years and as a research librarian assisting college students at Eastern Connecticut State University. Joan also always had a thirst for knowledge and was the proud recipient later in life of both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Joan was a person of many talents and sought out many pursuits throughout her life. First came everything regarding her family but she also loved to travel near and far, spend time at the family beach home in Rhode Island, baking all sorts of creations, crafting many things including sewing, quiltmaking, oil painting and making clothes for her granddaughters and their dolls. She was thought of as a “walking encyclopedia” given her extensive knowledge she had from reading and demonstrated by winning many a family game of Trivial Pursuit.
She also enjoyed collecting many antiques over the years, including two Hoosier cabinets she spent many months searching for all over Pennsylvania and the northeast. In the early 1960s she convinced Len to move into an early American home built in the late 1700s; what she had always dreamed of living in. For many years they spent much time redesigning and filling their home with period antiques while Len spent an extensive amount of time updating and making many required repairs. She always loved learning new things, mostly from books for anything that piqued her interest. She enjoyed playing and typically winning many kinds of card games over the years with her family and friends.
One of her favorite trips was when Len and Joan took 11 family members for three weeks to Tuscany in 2009. Many times she had talked about doing something similar because she it was so much fun with her family around her. She also went on several cruises after retirement with Len. While her children were young the family had traveled extensively to many North American locations while typically camping along the way.
Joan is survived by her three children, their spouses, four grandchildren, and significant others, two siblings, and many relatives from both the Lucia and Dobbs’ families.
Friends will be received on Saturday, Jan. 22, at the Peterson-Blick Funeral Home Warren, Pa., from 11 a.m. until noon at which time a funeral service will be held there with the Rev. Jeffrey Ewing, pastor, First Lutheran Church, officiating, and internment in the Warren County Memorial Park shortly thereafter.
Any flowers or well wishes can be sent there, but Joan would more prefer donations in lieu of flowers to be made to St Jude’s in her name. Joan will be buried near other family members at the Warren County Memorial Cemetery in Warren, Pa.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.petersonblickfuneralhome.com
