Joan A. Perrin, age 84, died on July 5, 2019 at St. Luke’s Nursing Home, Oswego, NY. She had been a resident of Antwerp and Harrisville, NY.
Born May 6, 1935 in Gouverneur, NY, she was a daughter of Clifford A. Hance (deceased) and Isabelle Howard Hance (deceased). Joan lived in Balmat, NY, attended Balmat Grammar School and graduated from Gouverneur High School in 1953. After leaving GHS, she attended and graduated with honor from Central City Business Institute, Syracuse, NY, where she obtained a Medical Secretarial Diploma.
After graduation, Joan moved to Newark, NY, where she worked as a medical secretary for two doctors at the Newark State School for Mentally Retarded. She married Richard D. Perrin, former resident of Gouverneur, serving in the United States Air Force at Geneva, NY (Sampson AF Base). They were married in the St. James Catholic Church in Gouverneur on November 27, 1954.
After their wedding, they returned to Newark, where they lived several years while Dick served in the Air Force. Their son, John Alan, was one of the last babies born at Sampson AF Base before the base closed in May 1956.
Mrs. Perrin accompanied her husband on his moves to numerous Air Force bases while he was in the service. She often remarked those years were some of the happiest and most interesting times of their lives. While Chief Master SGT Perrin was in the AF, Joan was a volunteer at many AF Base facilities and at many schools her son attended in the States and in Germany. They lived in Omaha, Neb., Washington DC area, Wiesbaden, Germany; and Scott AFB, ILL. She also was active in the Cub Scouts while they were stationed in Virginia. In Germany she was active in the NCO Wives Club and was a Gray Lady volunteer at the Wiesbaden USAF Hospital.
After Chief Master SGT Perrin retired in 1974, they returned to Northern New York and moved to Antwerp, NY. Mrs. Perrin worked 12 years at E.J. Noble Hospital in Gouverneur in medical records. After leaving E.J. Noble, she was hired as secretary to the Area Engineer, New York District Corps of Engineers on Ft. Drum during the expansion of the Fort Drum to accommodate the 10th Mountain Division. After leaving the Corps of Engineers, she was secretary to the Environmental Division of Ft. Drum. Working at Ft. Drum gave her great satisfaction as she enjoyed working with the military and civilian personnel.
After retirement Joan and her husband spent a number of years traveling to Lake Bonaparte for the summers and Ellenton, FL for the winters.
Mrs. Perrin enjoyed reading, music, swimming, and the company of her friends. She is survived by her husband, Richard, a son, John, daughter-in-law Martha of Oswego NY and nieces and nephews.
Her father, Clifford Hance, her mother, Isabelle Hance, sister Kathleen Brady and two brothers, Michael and Phillip, died before her.
There will be no calling hours. Arrangements are with French Funeral Home in Gouverneur. Donations may be made to your favorite charity or any charity for children or animal rescue. Condolences may be shared online at www.frenchfuneralhomes.com.