Obituary of Joan Byrnes

Joan Byrnes passed away peacefully at home on August 29th at the age of 89.  Joan was born in New York City, the daughter of Harry and Marie, and graduated from Sayville High School. Both her parents and siblings, Robert and Marie, left this world before her.  Joan met her future husband James (“Jim”) when they were both working at Brookhaven Labs on Long Island. They married in 1951 and happily celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in 2015, which was the year Jim passed away. Jim always said he was “lucky in love”, and marrying Joan was the best decision he could have made. Jim and Joan are blessed with three daughters, Maureen, Eileen, and Colleen; and wonderful in-laws by marriage, Stephen, and Darcy. They are proud of their grandsons, Matthew, and his wife Theresa, and James.  Joan was best known for her kindness and wonderful sense of humor; she was a woman who understood her own nature and would often say, “I am what I am”. She was dedicated to the cause of women’s empowerment and attended the March for Women’s Lives in Washington, DC in 1992. Her life was rooted in a deep sense of faith and compassion for others. Beyond a commitment to caring for many friends and family members, she extended her caring through years of volunteer work; for the Red Cross; the Pinellas County Police Department; and in recent years, for Bayfront SDS (Same Day Surgery Center).  Joan is dearly loved and will be missed. The family chose to have a private service at the time of her death. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to charities that support the empowerment of women, Planned Parenthood, or to any other charity you may support.