Joan Lee

ITHACA - Joan Davenport Lee, 97, died August 14, 2019, at Bridges Cornell Heights in Ithaca. Prior to moving to Ithaca in 2003, she lived for many years in New Salem and Amherst, MA.Joan was born May 2, 1922, to Carlton P. and Harriet Porter Davenport and grew up in Shelburne Falls, MA where she graduated from Arms Academy in 1940. She attended Wellesley College and the University of Massachusetts prior to World War II, and after the war, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During WW II, she served in the U.S. Naval Reserves (WAVES), and was stationed at the U.S. Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, and the U.S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, California. Her service in WWII had a profound effect on her worldview.In her early years, she was a teacher at Fryeburg Academy in Maine and a writer for the Commission on Public Health in Boston. Later she taught first grade in Orange, MA and worked as an administrative assistant at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She studied at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library Science and worked as a library assistant at Deerfield Academy, Amherst College, and St. Hyacinth College and Seminary. She was married to the late Deane Lee from 1949 to 1971.While living in Amherst, Joan was an active member of the Grange and Immanuel Lutheran Church. After moving to Ithaca, she pursued various activities at the Longview senior community, serving on the residents’ council, organizing Bible studies and Scrabble games, erecting bluebird houses and tending rose bushes. She took classes at Ithaca College, studying literature, art and philosophy, and reading and writing poetry. She delighted in her family and had a deep concern for peace, justice and human rights.Besides her parents, she was predeceased by three brothers: John Davenport, James Davenport, and Joseph Davenport.Joan is survived by four children, David Lee (Marjory Rinaldo-Lee) of Ithaca; Nancy Lee (Bruce) of Shoreview, MN; Mary Johnson (Thomas) of Rochester, NY; and Alice Openshaw (Thomas) of Hampden, ME; seven grandchildren: Jonathan Krahn (Tamra), Laura Openshaw (Chris Mihelich), Alexander Lee, Maria Openshaw (Marc Mendoza), Julia Aquadro (Nick), Martin Krahn, and Caroline Amin (Sanket); seven great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; five step-greatgrandchildren; two sisters: Jean Killough (Richard) of South Hadley, MA and Jane Clare Hanford of Greenfield, MA; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.The family is thankful to the staff at Bridges Cornell Heights for their help and loving care during Joan’s last years.Burial will be private in the West Branch Cemetery, Colrain, MA. A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 7, 2019 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 867 N. Pleasant St., Amherst.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Amnesty International (https://www.amnesty.org/en/), or the Amherst Survival Center (138 Sunderland Rd. Amherst, MA 01002).Joan Davenport Lee

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