IN LOVING MEMORY OF

Joann M.

Joann M. Taugher Profile Photo

Taugher

October 6, 1930 – July 14, 2017

Obituary

J

Joann M. (O'Rourke) Taugher, 86, died Friday at home with her family by her side.  Joann was born and raised in Westfield, MA and has lived in South Hadley the past 66 years.  A graduate of Westfield High School in 1947, she was Valedictorian of her class and President of the student council her senior year.  In college, Joann was the Homecoming Queen in 1950 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and graduated from that school in 1951. She taught Home Economics at Hopkins Academy in Hadley for one year before leaving teaching to raise a family of six children.  In the mid-seventies, Joann returned to teaching Home Economics, this time at South Hadley Intermediate School, until her retirement in 1989. Joann was a communicant of St. Patrick's Church in South Hadley and previously attended St. Jerome's Church in Holyoke.  Her husband Charles V. Taugher died in 2013 and a daughter Trish Nelen died in 2016.  She was predeceased by her sisters Patricia Phalon and Maureen Howard.  She leaves five children, Cathy Dion and her husband Paul, Kevin and his wife Helen (Crean), Maureen Couture and her husband Steve, Jim and his wife Robin (Remlin), all of South Hadley; and C. David and his wife Rita (McNulty) of Milton.  Joann also leaves a sister Margaret O'Rourke-Feeny and her husband Jay; a son-in-law Chris Nelen, twelve grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and her devoted caregiver Tina Couture. Raising six children and caring for husband Chuck was a full-time job, yet Joann still managed to meet once a week with her 'Ladies Card Club' friends for decades. Over the past 10 years, Joann attended monthly Westfield High School Class of 1947 luncheons at Southwick Country Club. One of her favorite things to do was enjoy dinner out with family and friends. Mel's Restaurant in Holyoke was a weekly stop, and she loved Johnny's Tavern and Dockside, too. Joann never lost her appetite until the very end.  Always a smile, never an unkind word, Joann was beloved by everybody who knew her. Family and friends are invited to the Liturgy of Christian Burial in St. Patrick's Church on Wednesday, July 19 at 10 am followed by Joann's burial in St. Rose Cemetery.  The Curran-O'Brien Funeral Home is handling all arrangements.  For more details please visit curranobrien.com.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Friends of the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Inc., 110 Cherry Street, Holyoke, MA 01040.

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Funeral Mass

July
19

Starts at 10:00 am

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