Joan J. Beley, 88, of Rockland, passed away on March 12, 2023, at Horizons Living and Rehabilitation, in Brunswick after a period of declining health. She was born in 1934 in Worcester, Mass., to Beatrice and Emile Lareau. She married George Beley in 1951 in Worcester, Mass. Shortly thereafter, George became a career airman, and they began their long military journey together.
During her husband’s military service, she accompanied him during many assignments and many family relocations, to both stateside and overseas locations, including California, Montana, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, Kansas, and Washington, D.C., the Azores, Portugal, Tainan, Taiwan, and Teheran, Iran.
Upon her husband’s retirement from the Air Force in 1977, they settled in Rockland where she resided until her husband’s death in 2017, after 66 years of marriage. She and her husband were longtime members of the Rockland Golf Club.
She loved cooking, and made many delicious homemade meals and gourmet dishes from scratch, which she shared with family and friends alike on many occasions. Some of her greatest joys were spending time with her grandchildren, and traveling both near and far to be with them. She traveled to be with each of the grandchildren upon their births.
She is survived by her three children, Douglas Beley and his spouse, Kay, of Denton, Texas, Michelle Brown and her spouse, James, of Patuxent River, Md., and Renee Bernier and her spouse, Robert, of Damariscotta; seven grandchildren, Jeffrey, Amy, Amanda, Alissa, Emma, Michael, and Andrea; nine great-grandchildren; and one brother, Roland Lareau.
Joan’s family wishes to thank all the staff for the loving care and attention to Joan during her eight years of living at Horizons Living and Rehabilitation. They would also like to express their appreciation to Chans Hospice, who helped tremendously with her end-of-life care.
A time of visitation will take place from 1-2 p.m., on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home in Damariscotta, where a service will follow at 2 p.m. She will be interred with her husband at the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Augusta.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s memory may be made to the youth golf program at the Rockland Golf Club, P.O. Box 507, Rockland, ME 04841.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Condolences, and messages for her family, may be expressed by visiting stronghancock.com.
