Joan Sheila Peluso

Joan Sheila Peluso of Durham, North Carolina passed away on August 27, 2022 after a brief illness. She was predeceased by her husband, Nicholas J. Peluso. She leaves behind her children, John (Julie), Marjorie, Marie, Mike (MJ), Nora and Nicholas, Jr., as well as her grandchildren; Nikki (Kerry), Chris (Dawn), Brian (Manda), Michael (Nickie), Lisa (Matt), Thomas (Jessica), Jackie (Ricky), and Katelyn (Will). She is also survived by her great-grandchildren; Matthew, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Joseph, Cadence, Aria, Saylor, Charlotte, Keller, Kace, and Nicky. Special family members that will miss her dearly are her cat Lily and grand-dog Callie, who spent Joan’s final week watching over her and keeping her company.

Joan was born April 21, 1935 to Sheila Egan Platt and Frank Platt of Sea Cliff, NY. She attended Sea Cliff High and graduated in 1953. While attending a summer carnival in nearby Glen Cove, she was introduced to a handsome young man named Nick Peluso. They were soon inseparable and got engaged on Joan’s 18^th birthday and married one year later in 1954. Their adventurous life together began upon the return from their honeymoon to find the letter that started “Greetings”.

During Nick’s hitch in the US Army, they were stationed in Georgia, New Jersey, and Washington, DC, where they welcomed their first son, John. After leaving the Army, the young family returned to Glen Cove, and over the next few years, grew from a small family to a big one!

Although Joan was busy with a house, garden and keeping up with a husband and six kids, she found time to pursue her hobby of sewing. The girls could always count on pretty new dresses for Easter and Christmas. The family went camping often, and Joan learned to cook on a camp stove and an open fire.

As the kids grew older and ventured out on their own, Joan and Nick were able to take off on bigger adventures. Whether driving with a camper to visit the kids and their new families around the country, or jetting off to Hawaii (16 times!), Joan and Nick were each other’s best friend and loving companion.

Building on her love of sewing, Joan let her creative side take over and became a quilter. Within a few years, she had gone from beginner to expert. Her Hawaiian-style quilt won first place in the applique division at the prestigious Vermont Quilt Festival. Many of the grandchildren received handmade crib quilts and Joan also took part in quilting bees with other members of the Capital Quilters Guild to create lap quilts and crib quilts for hospital patients throughout the Triangle.

When Nick and several of the kids started bicycling in the MS Bike Tour events, Joan jumped in too! She became a valued volunteer; working at rest stops and driving her van hundreds of miles to provide support, cheering and a ride to anyone who needed it. When the events were over, Joan and Nick both volunteered in the Chapter office stuffing countless envelopes, folding hundreds of T-shirts and providing any help they could.

Most recently, Joan kept her social life active by attending weekly water aerobics classes in Durham. Even throughout the pandemic, the “Pool Ladies” would bring lunch in their cars to a local park so they could chat and catch up with each other at a safe distance. As things started getting back to normal, Joan was glad to get back to the pool and weekly lunches at local restaurants.

Joan/Mom/Grandma Joan will be sorely missed by family and friends. Our hearts rest easy with the knowledge that she is reunited with her beloved husband.

If you would like to make a donation in Joan’s memory, please consider one of the following organizations. The Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) or Safe Haven for Cats of Raleigh (www.safehavenforcats.org)