Joan Lydia (Chapman) Rau, 88, of Boothbay, died June 28 in Boothbay Harbor following a long illness. She was born Nov. 22, 1922 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, a daughter of William Herbert and Lydia (Furze) Chapman. She attended schools in England.
As a young adult, Joan worked as a window dresser in a local dress shop until the building was destroyed by German bombs in the fall of 1942. At about the same time her home was also destroyed in a bombing. She then joined the National Fire Service.
Joan became a U.S. citizen on May 2, 1960 and had lived in Braintree, Mass. and Wellesley, Mass. and had been a resident of Boothbay for the last 39 years.
She enjoyed art, antiques, gardening, dress making and spending time with her family.
She was predeceased by her daughter, Gillian Lorraine Rau; and half-brothers, Maurice Furze and Clifford Chapman.
She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Norman F. Rau of Boothbay; sons, Karl F. and wife Sharon (Lawson) Rau of South China and Kirk T. and wife Wendy (Fisher) Rau of Hallowell; grandchildren, Tory F. and wife Morgan J. (Titus) Rau of Washington, Cody T. and wife Amy (Cooley) Rau of Jefferson, Sara E. Rau of Boston, Mass. and Hannah M. Rau, a student at Drew University; great-grandchildren, Cadence, Carter and Sovie; sister, Margaret E. (Chapman) Turner-Burgess; and nephews and nieces, Janis (Turner) and husband Peter Oliaro and Ian Turner, all of Gisborn, Victoria, Australia, Richard K. and wife Mary Jo (Woodbury) Parker of Kensington, N.H., Ellen E. (Parker) and husband Lawrence Steeg of Chandler, Ariz. and Allan R. Parker of Exeter, N.H.
Services will be private. Interment will be held at Maine Veterans Cemetery, Augusta.
Should friends desire, memorial donations in Mrs. Joan L. Rau’s memory may be made to the General Fund at St. Andrews Hospital, St. Andrews Lane, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of Brackett Funeral Home, Brunswick.
