Joan “Maga” F. Lont, a longtime resident of Warwick, NY, passed away on December 18, 2022 at The Chelsea at Bald Eagle in West Milford, NJ. She was 89 years old.
Born in Bronx, NY on April 18, 1933, she was the daughter of John and Sydney (Doyle) Rowe.
Joan was a missionary for 18 years with Mary Knoll Sisters in South America, teaching in Guatemala, Central America and Peru in South America. When she returned stateside, she was a registered nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. After retiring from nursing, she worked as a hostess at the Warwick Conference Center for over 24 years.
A family statement reads, “Maga was a people person; she shared her love with all whom she came into contact with. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All of our family knew how much she loved us; she showed us all the time. Her life was truly an example of the love of Christ. Maga was well loved, and she will be dearly missed.”
Joan is survived by several grandchildren, including Steven Lont (Colleen), Christopher Lont (Lauren) and Tara Spear (Michael), her daughter-in-law Sandra Spear of Hewitt, NJ; several great-grandchildren, brother-in-law, Jerry McBride, and nieces and nephew. She was predeceased by her husband Richard J. Lont, Jr., stepson Richard J. Lont III, stepdaughter Linda Congleton; son-in-law, William Spear, grandson Joshua Spear, and sisters Jacqueline Milla and Carol McBride.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, December 29, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at the Warwick Conference Center, 62 Warwick Center Road, Warwick, NY 10990 in the Main Lounge of the East House with a luncheon to follow. Inurnment will be in Warwick Cemetery Cremation Garden at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Warwick Conference Center, P.O. Box 394, Warwick, NY 10990 or Maryknoll Sisters, P.O. Bo x 311, Maryknoll, NY 10545. Both were very near and dear to Joan’s heart.
Arrangements were entrusted to Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY. To send an online condolence, visit www.lsvpmemorialhome.com