Joanne Mary Aldrich

Joanne M. Aldrich, 85, of Albany, Oregon, passed away surrounded by the love and comfort of her family.

The daughter of John and Marion (Kennedy) McCarthy, Joanne was born and raised in Springfield, MA, where she married Robert R. Aldrich at Holy Name Church on April 23, 1960. Following graduation from Cathedral High School, Joanne began a career in banking before assuming her most treasured role as a mother to her sons. Relocating to Southern California in 1968, she ultimately joined the education field, working with small children until her retirement in 2006. She and Robert moved to Albany, Oregon that same year.

Joanne will forever be remembered as a tough little lady with a warm, kind, humorous heart and an infectious, positive attitude. She often sang little tunes around the house and, throughout her life, loved to go for walks. At home, Joanne could often be found gardening and watering the yard while watching the birds flying around, marveling at the different types and their colors. Joanne was well known for decorating the house each holiday and season, and enjoyed sharing her love of arts and crafts (a love she passed on to her granddaughters.) Joanne enjoyed watching sports, especially football, tennis, golf, and horse racing. Famously, she didn't like computers and preferred using her trusty flip phone. Most importantly, Joanne taught her children to stop every now and then and look up at the stars.

Joanne is survived by her loving husband of sixty-three years, Robert; her sons Chris (Doreen) and James of Albany and Joseph (Brian Knox) of Chicago, IL; sisters, Shelia Sakamoto of Camarillo, CA, Alice Swinney of Prospect, KY; granddaughters Arielle Aldrich Dunn (Lucas Dunn) of Boston, MA, and Alexa Aldrich of New York, NY. She was also overjoyed to be great-grandmother to Stella Dunn.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Marion; her son, Andrew; brother, John McCarthy; and sister, Carol Goodwin.

Joanne will be remembered Wednesday November 29,2023 at St Mary's Catholic Church in Albany, Oregon with a 10:30 Rosary, followed by an 11am Funeral Mass.

Committal prayers will be held at Bethany Cemetery in Monson on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at 11:00am. 

Please omit flowers.

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