Joan DeRose

1944 - 2023

Joan Sharrot DeRose, 79, of Greensburg, died Aug. 7, 2023, at Westmoreland Hospital, in Greensburg. Born May 6, 1944 in Manhattan, New York City, to the late John D. and Sharrot (Mayer) Henderson, Joan grew up in Glen Rock, N.J., and attended Bucknell University, majoring in English, graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in 1966 and Master of Arts in 1967. She then taught English at the Altoona campus of Penn State University from 1967-1974. It was at Bucknell that Joan met her future husband, P. Louis DeRose. They were married in 1970 and after Lou obtained his law degree, they settled in Greensburg. In addition to raising their children, Joan was able to pursue some of her creative interests. She had an artistic eye for everything that she did. Joan loved painting watercolors, gardening, needlework and cooking. Her passion for cooking led to the creation of several cookbooks, including Under Cottage Roofs: A Cookbook, published by the West Beach Club in Hyannis Port, Mass., in 1985, and Art in the Kitchen, published by the Westmoreland Museum of Art, in Greensburg, in 1995. She also built, sold and collected doll houses and other miniatures. Her great interest in history, genealogy and artistic design led her on an interesting journey supporting her local community. She was an accomplished buyer for museum shops and was the museum store manager at the Westmoreland Museum of Art from 2003-2006 after having first volunteered in 1989. She received the Western Pennsylvania Volunteer in the Arts (VITA) award in 2000. Joan's next endeavor involved work at the Westmoreland Historical Society. She could be counted upon to help research and facilitate the annual tour of homes. She was heavily involved with the creation and running of the Westmoreland Historical Society's gift shop at Historic Hanna's Town. Joan has been an adjunct instructor in English at Westmoreland Community College since 2007. She loved teaching research methods and creative writing. In August 2012, she won the Part-time Faculty Award for the 2011-2012 school year. Some of Joan's favorite things to do were spending holidays with her family, taking summer trips to Cape Cod, needlework and enjoying social gatherings with friends. Joan is survived by her husband, P. Louis DeRose, of Greensburg; two children, Peter A. (Kelly) DeRose, of Bradenton, Fla., and Catharine S. (Eric) Ackerstrom, of Gaithersburg, Md.; three grandchildren, Piper, Gage and Matthew (their Gahgie); a brother, Stephen W. (Kathryn) Henderson, of Covington, Ga.; a brother-in-law, David S. (Johnette) DeRose; and a niece and two nephews. KEPPLE-GRAFT FUNERAL HOME in Greensburg is handling the arrangements. There will be no formal viewing but a public memorial service at First Presbyterian Church that will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Westmoreland Historical Society, http://www.westmorelandhistory.org. For online condolences and information, please visit www.kepplegraft.com.