BERTACCINI, JOAN

Joan Purves Adams Bertaccini died peacefully of natural causes at age 91 on July 21, 2020 at her home in Morris. She was born on July 27, 1928, the daughter of the late Ellen Tybout Wood Purves and Austin Montgomery Purves, Jr., a 20th century artist and educator. She was predeceased by her brother Oliver Purves and sister Ellen Purves Thurneyssen. She is survived by her daughter Susannah Austin Kaley of New Britain, CT and Ellen Rebecca Adams of Longlac, Ontario from a first marriage to Faneuil Adams, Jr. in 1947.

Joan’s early years were spent in New York City and Litchfield, CT. She attended Litchfield High School and Barnard College from 1942-1949. In her marriage to Faneuil Adams, many years were spent abroad during his career with Mobil; Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Japan. After her marriage ended in 1975, Joan pursued a nursing career, receiving her LPN from Waterbury Hospital and RN from Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. She lived for 22 years in Branford, CT, where she worked at Connecticut Hospice and the Visiting Nurses in New Haven, with a year of nursing service at the Navajo Nation in Chinle, AZ. She was involved with the Branford Land Trust, the Branford Walkers and did community outreach work at St. Paul and St. James Church in New Haven.

Her marriage to Lincoln Bertaccini lasted from 2000 until his death in 2017. She and Linc had known each other since childhood in Litchfield. They settled in Morris, CT. She was a tutor for Literacy Volunteers of NW Connecticut, volunteered at the Torrington Soup Kitchen and was active with the League of Women Voters and the Democratic Town Committee in Morris. An avid reader, she belonged to two book clubs and had a longtime interest in nature and wildlife.

Joan will be remembered for her pioneering nursing work in the early days of The Connecticut Hospice. Due to the current pandemic services will be held at a later date.

To send the family an online condolence, kindly visit www.thurstonrowefuneralhome.com.

Sisk Brothers Funeral Home, 3105 Whitney Ave., Hamden. www.siskbrothers.com