Joan P. May, 83, of Tarpon Springs, Florida (formerly of Oyster Bay and Baldwin, New York), passed away on May 27, 2023. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Thomas; her daughter Kelly May-Gore and son-in-law Leonard Gore of Palm Harbor, Florida; and her beloved grand dogs, Daisy, Holly and Skye.

Joan Pauline Duryea was born on March 21, 1940 in Jamaica, New York, to Matilda Popp and Milton Duryea. The youngest of seven children, she shared a very special bond with her mother; she was also close with her stepfather Charles Daniell when he joined the family. Her family all predeceased her.

Her brother Joseph introduced Joan to his friend and her future husband—Thomas. They married on February 7, 1960. Joan had a great rapport with her in-laws Muriel and Richard May, happily calling them Mom and Pop.

Five years later, Joan’s only child, Kelly Ann, was born the day after her 25th birthday.

Joan’s family was her world. Her kind heart and gentle soul made her a devoted wife and caring mother. She created a loving home and made every birthday, holiday and life milestone memorable. Joan and her daughter were extremely close; they spoke daily and spent many happy times together. Joan loved to pick up little “just because” gifts for her daughter, and, over the years, they created some of her daughter’s most special memories. One of their favorite activities was decorating their Christmas trees together every season. And, of course, they celebrated their shared birthdays together yearly. The pandemic delayed Joan’s 80th birthday celebration, but she and her family (including her beloved grand dogs) finally got to celebrate on Sanibel and Captiva Islands in October 2021.

Joan appreciated reading a good book, mysteries were her favorites; loved sweets, especially vanilla ice cream; delighted in putting together jigsaw puzzles; and had a special way of talking, which her family lovingly referred to as Joan-ese. She detested clutter and relished throwing things away; her family joked that they too would get discarded one day. She also enjoyed visiting Mystic, Connecticut, and playing the slot machines at the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos. She worked for many years as a bank teller for the Empire Savings Bank and the Richmond Hill Savings Bank in Baldwin, New York. Perhaps, this is why she always insisted on paying her daughter and son-in-law for anything picked up at the store to the exact penny.

Joan was an avid animal lover and had many fur babies over her lifetime. She especially loved dogs and cats, but also had a fondness for owls. She adored spending time with her beloved grand dogs and watching television shows about veterinarians and animal adoptions. As such, her family is suggesting that donations in Joan’s memory be made to Southeastern Guide Dogs.

Joan, an Angel on earth, now an Angel in Heaven, will forever be in the hearts of her family. A celebration of Joan’s life and interment at Florida National Cemetery will be held on June 30, 2023 at 11 am.