Joan Celia McCann, Ed.D., formerly of Pelham, NY, passed away peacefully at her home in Essex, CT, surrounded by her loving family, and her faithful dog, April, on Thursday, September 29, 2022.  She was married to her best friend, husband William J. McCann, MD, for 64 years. They had been sweethearts since the ninth grade at Medford High School in Massachusetts.

Joan had served as elementary school principal at Siwanoy School in Pelham, NY and Fox Meadow Elementary School in Scarsdale, NY.  She was known as a kind, intelligent, caring, compassionate, gifted, and beloved principal who created a community for all of its staff, students, and families. She had been a reading teacher and first grade teacher at Siwanoy School, and a first grade teacher at Hutchinson School in Pelham and the Gleason School in Medford, MA, early on in her career. She loved to introduce the arts into the schools, where she hosted many performing artists. While at Fox Meadow Elementary School, she was the recipient of the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Award by former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Michio Watanabe.

She adored her home on Eastland Avenue in Pelham, NY, and created beauty there. She held a Doctorate in Education from Fordham University, a Master of Arts from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University.  She cherished her family, her daughter Susan K. McCann, son, Peter C. McCann, daughter-in-law, Diane Fusco McCann, and her three beautiful granddaughters, Annie C. Brown, Lily H. McCann, and Wylie E. McCann; her sister, the Most Reverend Dianne Sullivan and brother-in-law, John Sullivan of Windsor, CT, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Richard and Christine McCann of Woburn, MA, and many loved nieces and nephews. Her late parents were Helen P. and Vincent J. Celia of Medford and Winchester, MA. Her father had been an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Massachusetts. One of Joan’s favorite quotes was, “Let me live in the house by the side of the road and be a friend to man,” by librarian and poet, Sam Walter Foss.

A private family service will be held in October. In lieu of flowers, and if you wish to honor Joan’s memory, the family gave these suggestions:

https://seespotrescued.org (an animal rescue organization to honor Joan’s beloved dog, April McCann, as well as the many family cats and dogs she adopted over the years);

https://louisamayalcott.org/ (the historical home in Concord, MA of Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, to honor Joan’s treasured childhood visits there, and her love of reading to children), and

Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts in Education – NYC-ARTS (to honor Joan’s inspired and joyful experience there with her fellow Pelham educator colleagues).

To share a memory of Joan or send a condolence to her family please visit www.rwwfh.com

Arrangements are in the care of the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.

Editor’s note: This obituary was provided by the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home.