Joan Lorraine (Hart) Crowell

BURLINGTON, N.C. – Joan Lorraine (Hart) Crowell, 75, of Burlington, N.C., formerly of Auburn and Poland, was called home to heaven on July 23, 2022, after a recent diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer in her bones.

Joan was born in Lynn, Mass. on May 4, 1947 to Guy W. Hart Sr. and Mildred I. (Clark) Gendron. After her family moved to Maine, Joan attended schools in Sabattus and Auburn. While attending school in Auburn, Joan met her good friend, Gerri, who had a brother, Phil, who ended up being the love of her life.

Phil and Joan were married in 1965, just six months after they met, and eventually settled down in Auburn to raise their three children, Cindy, Phil, and Ray.

There are far too many wonderful stories to share. When you think of words like caring, amazing, sweet soul, lovely, kind, generous, thoughtful, beautiful heart, awesome, courageous, strong, positive, mom, grandma, mamie, mimi, ggma— Joan comes to mind by everyone who has crossed her path. She knew no strangers. Within minutes of meeting her, you were drawn in by her amazing smile instantly becoming her friend for life.

Joan made many wonderful friends during her time working at Lee Auto Mall and at the City of Auburn municipal building as well as during her time as a Mary Kay consultant, which she did for more than 20 years.

Her various church families at Marston’s Corner, Auburn Baptist, and East Auburn Baptist Church were important to her, but it was her personal relationship with Christ that was the foundation of her strong faith.

Five years ago, Joan and Phil fulfilled their dream of retiring to the south. They moved to Burlington, N.C., for the warm weather and to be close to their “partners in crime,” Jesse and Dena. The four of them have had so much fun enjoying wonderful adventures, yet some of the best times that they had were just sitting around correcting each other’s stories while laughing and drinking coffee. Although Joan lived miles apart from her children and grandchildren, she always found time for FaceTime, calls, and visits. She kept tabs on everyone through Facebook. To listen to her speak, you would have thought that she was physically present sharing every moment with her family and friends. Whether happy or sad, she never missed sending a comment to join in every occasion.

Joan is survived by the love of her life of almost 57 years, Phil Sr.; as well as her other loves – her children, Cindy Violette and her husband, Dan, Phil Jr. and his wife, Jen, and Ray and his wife Katie; her grandchildren Joey Violette and his wife, Natalie; Megan, Jonah and his fiancé, Emily Maines, P. Troy, R. Mitchell, Hudson, Seth, J. Elliot, Colson, Teresa, J. Wesley, and Darling; her great-granddaughters Kendall, Drew, and Kestle Violette; and many sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law; and cherished nieces and nephews.

Joan was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Jean Canuel, her brothers Guy W. Hart Jr., Thomas “Buddy” Hart Sr., and Raymond Hart.

The family would like to thank all of her friends and family for the outpouring of your love and support. We also thank the phenomenal healthcare workers at Cone Health Care and Cone Health Cancer Center at Alamance Regional in Burlington, N.C.

Although a service is not currently scheduled, a celebration of life will be scheduled by her family at a later date. At this time, the family would appreciate for all of her wonderful friends and family to celebrate her life by recording your thoughts and memories to her Facebook page or by pen to any of her family members to be compiled to a memory book which will be created about her. She loved each and every one of you.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a charitable contribution in Joan’s memory to the Breast and Cervical Cancer Fund at Cone Health Philanthropy (conehealthphilanthropy.org) of Alamance County, North Carolina.