On October 21, 2024, Joan D’Orvilliers passed away surrounded by her family. Joan was a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, author, journalist, educator, dog mom, and friend, just to list a few of the many roles she played throughout her life. She was born May 30,1952 in New Brunswick, NJ and called Milltown, NJ her home for her entire life.

She graduated from St. Francis University in Loretto, PA with a degree in English and a minor in Journalism. While attending college she met and fell in love with Roland. They were married in 1975 and two years later welcomed their first son, Dan, into their lives. In 1981 they welcomed their second son, Mike, to the group. Another two years later, the third son Eric completed the family. It was that year they moved across town to “40George” where they built a warm and loving home that remains the center of the family today.

From July 4th birthday bashes to many memorable Christmas Eve parties, Joan took care to make sure everyone, from family, to friends, to “kids on the team” were welcomed and felt a sense of comfort for decades. She even won the annual Christmas Eve ping-pong tournament in 2011 defeating all three of her sons and her husband in route to the victory.

She extended this empathy and genuine care of others to her professional career, being a loving ear to so many colleagues and students over the years working in all levels of elementary, high school and collegiate settings.

She enjoyed playing tennis, writing, taking walks in the local parks with her dog Lacey, reading and her weekly sisters’ gatherings.

Joan was always there for her family. She wanted nothing more than the best for her boys, which included Roland, first and foremost. She spent hours, and years, in all types of weather watching her sons run through the woods and around in circles. All she wanted to know was that her children, including those that married in and her granddaughters, were out experiencing all that the world had to offer to them, tagging along whenever possible, even if it terrified her! She wanted them to know that they were the most important people in her life.

She is survived by her husband, Roland; sons Dan, Mike, wife Amanda, and Eric, wife Lara; granddaughters, Laine, husband Saif and Libby; brother Bill, sisters Pat, Bernadette, Kathy, and Maryann.

A memorial ceremony will be planned for a future date. In lieu of flowers the family asks that a donation be made to one of the following organizations she was passionate about:

National Parks Association - Make A Gift - National Park Foundation

National Eating Disorders Association - National Eating Disorders Association- NEDA

M.A.T.H – Medical Aid to Haiti - MATH | Medical Aid To Haiti