Joan L. (Pickard) McCorquodale

NEW SALEM-    Joan Louise (Pickard) McCorquodale, (84) of New Salem, MA, passed away peacefully March 28, 2020 with her family by her side.

She was born to the late Hobart Pickard, Sr. and Emma (Philbrick) Pickard, on May 26, 1935 in Littleton, MA.  Joan lived in Littleton as young child but spent her formative years in Pepperell, MA on a family owned farm where she raised and showed her own beef cattle at 4-H fairs.

She graduated from Pepperell High School in 1953 and went on to work as a telephone operator for New England Phones.

Joan met her former spouse, the late Charles A. McCorquodale, an Army engineer at a USO dance at Ft. Devens and they married in 1956. Together they had seven children and lived in Townsend, MA.

Joan spent a number of years a single mother raising her children by working as many as 3 jobs at time to provide for her family. She taught countless how to drive as a driving instructor, worked as a lunch lady at Spaulding Memorial School in Townsend, MA, drove bus for elementary children and worked for 26 years at New England Business Service (NEBS) but her favorite jobs were that of mother and grandmother.

Joan was a member of the Community Church of Pepperell then of the First United Methodist Church of Townsend for most of her life until moving in retirement and joining the Central Congregational Church of New Salem, MA where she was welcomed with open arms by their pastor and members. She was part of the church’s choirs as music was essential to her soul and helped with many church functions as she loved being part of a family of faith. Her own ministry was to make prayer shawls for those individuals needing to feel not only wrapped by the love of Christ but Joan as well for every stitch was filled with love.

It was in New Salem that she became a member of the Red Hats Society and enjoyed trips and events with other ladies of this group.

Joan’s favorite spot in the entire world was Nubble Lighthouse in York, ME where she spent many hours sitting and listening to the sweet lullaby of the waves as they splashed along the rocks. Her greatest joy was to provide a 3 week vacation to all her children, grandchildren and her mother every June for years at York Beach. Joan loved taking her grandchildren fishing, watching their sports activities, and attending dance recitals and musicals. Her first time flying was to Berlin, Germany to visit her son and grandchildren and witnessed the tearing down of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The second and last time she flew was to Walt Disney World with her daughter and family.

Joan lived her life by the Serenity Prayer, “God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference”. It is this prayer that gave her the fighting spirit to raise her family, the will to take on cancer and the peace in her soul to gently slip from this world to the next.

She is survived by her children, Jeffrey McCorquodale of Phillipston, MA; Sharen Roberts and husband Colin of Penygroes, UK; Karen Baldyga and husband Wayne of Great Bend, KS; Debra Parker and husband Raymond of Winchendon, MA; Sandra Freeman and husband Timothy of Fitchburg, MA; Rhonda Whitman and husband Kevin of New Salem, MA; daughter-in-law, Pamela Gray of Royalston; brothers, John Pickard, Sr. and wife Dixie of Pepperell, MA; Hobart Pickard, Jr. and wife, Cynthia of Paxton, MA; sister-in-law, Karen Pickard of Fonda, NY; many nieces, nephews and cousins; her Aunt Libby, Elizabeth (Philbrick) Parisi of Florida; her best friend of over 60 years Patricia Wallace; her dear friend, Bill Pavo with whom she thought of as a son; and finally her most beloved grandchildren(22) and great grandchildren(28).

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, William Pickard and Fred Pickard, Sr.; and her son, Michael McCorquodale.

Joan wanted a Memorial with lots of music and all her favorite people to celebrate her life. Given the current Covid-19 social precautions, the family has decided to postpone a memorial at this time.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central Congregational Church, P.O. Box 55, New Salem, MA 01355-0055

Witty’s Funeral Home, 158 South Main Street, Orange, is assisting the family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joan L. (Pickard) McCorquodale, please visit our floral store.