Friday , June 23 , 2017 The Colebrook Chronicle Page 19
Obituaries
( Continued from page 16 )
group , CRAG . Her photography was featured in many local establishments including at Fiddleheads in Colebrook . Her love of crafting began as a child . She recently said , “ When I was a little girl on the farm in Iowa I would find a needle and thread , take a handful of field corn , climb up in the hay-mow and see what I could create with strings of corn .” At 10 , JoAnn ' s family moved to Redondo Beach , Calif ., where at a young age she took up the violin and later become quite skilled in floral arranging . On Oct 3 , 1948 , JoAnn and Bud were wed ; he was so smitten by JoAnn that his mother had to sign for him to get married . JoAnn passed away just four months before their 69th anniversary .
Some of JoAnn ' s crafting was born of necessity on dairy farms in Vermont and New Hampshire where she would knit hats , mittens and sweaters , and sewed dresses and shirts . It wasn ' t crafty enough so she began spinning yarn from fleece and dying it with roots and berries to use for knitting and weaving ; she began woodcarving as well . Between keeping a family of six fed and clothed and hauling kids to school activities and 4-H meetings she managed to produce numerous carvings while Ed Ames crooned from the old phonograph . Somewhere in the midst of this schedule she learned to play the auto harp .
As the nest emptied she dedicated more time to crafts and photography , operating several art galleries including Wood , Wool , and Weeds at the family home in Stratford . With age , the crafts became more intricate and personal and the photography more stunning . JoAnn once said , while working as a florist , “ Flowers should be for the living .” If you wish to honor her memory please send a bouquet to someone who is needing a smile or teach a neighbor kid to bake a pie , make a donation to a local art group , or just pause to appreciate the beauty in someone or something you may otherwise pass by .
Besides her loving husband , JoAnn is survived by her sister , Dianne Warner , of San Francisco , Calif .; her daughters , Suzanne Ludlam and husband Roland of Fairfax , Vt . and Kathleen Cantin of Montpelier , Vt . and Jennifer McGee of Whitefield ; her sons , Harold Boydston , Jr ., and his wife Brenda of Jacksonville , Fla . and Matthew Boydston and his wife Lynn of Vancouver , Wash . A sister-in-law , Barbara Benton of Wisconsin ; 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren . She was predeceased by her brother , Lawrence “ Sonny ” Benton ; and a son , Howard Boydston , in 1977 .
Joann ’ s friends will be arranging art shows in JoAnn ' s honor this summer . A service for JoAnn will be arranged later this fall ; those interested in attending , please email her son Matthew at matt @ mattboydston . com and he will reply with the date , time , and place when the family has made arrangements .