Obituary of Joan B Fiore

Joan B. Fiore, age 84, of Phillipsburg NJ formerly of Washington NJ, passed peacefully on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at St. Luke's Hospice House in Bethlehem, PA.  Joan was born April 4, 1935 in Jersey City, NJ. She is the daughter of the late Ignatius and the late Agnes (Willis) Rapsis. She was married to the late Ralph P. Fiore Sr. from 1953 until his passing on November 1, 1998.  

She was a graduate of Easton High School Class of 1952. Joan along with her husband raised their seven children in Washington NJ. After her children were grown, Joan started a twenty-one-year long career with the Shop Rite in Washington NJ. Later in life she received her teacher’s aide certificate and started working as an aide at the ABC Playschool in Phillipsburg. 

Joan was a voracious reader and loved to do crossword puzzles, her greatest love of all was her family. She loved being surrounded and having fun with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and visiting with her brother Jim in South Carolina.

She is survived by her three daughters: Kathleen McGaurn and husband Gary of Clarksboro, NJ, Donna Risko and husband Wayne of Bethlehem, PA and Anita Toupin and husband Dave of Phillipsburg, NJ; two sons: Ralph Fiore Jr. and wife Kathy of Oxford, NJ ; Philip Fiore and wife Kristin of Marlton, NJ; son-in-law Bruce Pohl and daughter-in-law Judy Fiore; Brother James Rapsis of SC. Also surviving are her cherished seventeen grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Along with her husband Ralph, Joan is also predeceased by her son Paul Fiore and daughter Christine Pohl.

Friends and relatives may gather on Saturday, October 19 from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM at the Washington United Methodist Church, 116 East Washington Avenue, Washington, NJ 07882. Funeral service will begin at 1:00 pm at the church following the visiting. Interment will follow the service at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Washington. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s name may be made through, IN MEMORY OF, for St Luke’s Hospice House or the local Habitat for Humanity, at http://www.inmemof.org/joan-b-fiore

For further information or to share memories with the family please visit www.knolldevoefh.com Arrangements have been entrusted to the Knoll-DeVoe Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 142 West Washington Ave, Washington NJ 07882.