Obituary: Joan Hartman Kaye, 1935-2024 

click to enlarge

• Courtesy
• Joan Hartman Kaye

A brilliant star was extinguished on Sunday, October 6, 2024, when Joan Hartman Kaye departed this world. Born in Chicago on May 14, 1935, to Charles Hartman and Ruth Wollenberger, Joan attended Indiana University, married “Mayor” Ken Kaye in 1956, then moved to St. Albans, Vt., where they established careers and raised three children. Those who had the good fortune to encounter Joan’s lifetime journey experienced her boundless ability to connect with others of all ages (she became “Mom” and “Grammy” to countless folks). They also experienced her infectious — often irreverent — sense of humor, her uncanny ability to counsel others through her scarily accurate tarot readings and a kindness that radiated from her, seeming to invite total strangers to share with her intimate details from their lives. She, in turn, would offer just the right support, advice and love, making you friends for life from then on. She was an avid reader — you did not want to play any trivia game with her — a lover of music who could not carry a tune or whistle, and an animal magnet. She had an insatiable sweet tooth and was a talented sketch artist and crossword puzzler.

In her early years, Joan was a stay-at-home mom until all three children were in school. Always a social worker at heart, she started out as the medical social worker at Kerbs Hospital and later left to join St. Albans Home and Health Agency. Following that position, she became a pillar member of the staff at the Community College of Vermont, where she designed courses called Dimensions of Learning. These courses gave support to countless Franklin and Lamoille County residents wanting to enter the world of college, when school perhaps was never easy for them. She was forced to retire when she needed to spend time in Chicago at the end of her mother’s life. Beyond her career and raising children, Joan sat on the board of the now defunct Warner Home and was active on the board of her beloved St. Albans Library, where she volunteered many hours. In her later years, Joan and Ken enjoyed motorcycle trips, camping, traveling the world and snowbirding in Sarasota, Fla.

Joan leaves behind her children, Laurie (Dave) Singer, Dave (Mary) Kaye and Marjie (Mitch) Sheppard; grandchildren, Daniel (Brandi) Singer, Sheara (David) Heon, Charlie and Zoe Sheppard, and Emily and Abby Kaye; and granddogs, Honeybear, Millie and Camrose. She also leaves her great-grandchildren, Sarah and Joshua Heon and Scarlett and Solomon Singer. All of her grands brought her incredible joy. Joan also leaves her brothers, Sam (Karen) Hartman and Joe (Martino) Hartman, as well as her niece, Tipton (Michael) Hartman Haney. She leaves countless friends in Vermont and beyond but especially her longtime friend Joan Plaisted, with whom she shared love, laughter and everything in between. Joan was predeceased by her parents; her in-laws, Paul and Sarah Kaye; her stepsister, Claudie Viehmann, her husband, Mervin Ken Kaye, and his brother, Robert Kaye; and many close aunts, uncles and cousins. Also predeceasing her were her much loved prancing poodles, Valentine and Teddy Bear.

click to enlarge

• Courtesy
• Joan Hartman Kaye

We can’t thank the staff at McClure Miller  Respite House enough for their hard-to-describe care and compassion on mom’s final days. Additionally, we thank Emily Germaine, who provided many hours of respite care to Joan when at Maple Ridge and Birchwood, and also the hospice teams from both BAYADA and the University of Vermont, where the love and support they provided us made such a huge difference in both mom’s and our lives. A huge thank-you also to Zachery Wilson, who not only got her up and walking after her stroke but remained a source of comfort and friendship right until the end of her life.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 10, 2024, 10 a.m., at Temple Sinai, 500 Swift St., South Burlington, VT, followed by her burial at Lakeview Cemetery in Burlington. The family will be sitting shiva on Thursday, October 10, 6 p.m., and on Friday, October 11, noon, at Laurie’s house, 49 Logwood Circle in Essex. Family and friends are very welcome to join us for shiva on those dates to celebrate Joan’s life.

Rather than flowers, please consider donations in Joan’s memory to McClure Miller Respite House, or to the St. Albans Free Library.

Arrangements are being made by Ready Funeral & Cremation Services. To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral.com.