Joan Normington

1936 - 2020

Joan Richardson Normington, 84, of Manchester NH, formerly of Needham and Natick, MA and Windham, NH, died Thursday, August 6, 2020, surrounded by her loving family in Windham, NH, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Newton, MA, on May 25, 1936, she was the daughter of the late Natalie (Smith) and John Richardson. She was the oldest of four siblings, two girls and two boys. Joan attended the Needham public schools and graduated from Needham High School in 1954. She graduated from Wellesley College in 1958. She married her middle school sweetheart, Charles A. Normington, USAF, in 1958, at a ceremony at Wellesley College. They had five children, and moved frequently between US Air Force bases, before his untimely death in 1966. She then made a home for her family in Natick, MA, before moving to Windham, NH in 1988. She spent many years with her partner, Alan Campbell, sailing the east coast. They moored their sailboat, 'Acamar' at North Haven, ME, which they considered a second home. She continued to sail for many years after his death in 1997, and her family have many fond memories of their time together. Joan was an avid photographer, a skilled sailor and sail maker, a master at celestial navigation, and she took her knitting with her everywhere. She was very involved with the Windham Historical Society, taking photographs of important historical sites in the Windham and surrounding area. She was a member of the U.S. Power Squadrons and the Pelagic Sailing Club. Joan is survived by her five children: Karl and his wife, Eileen Press, of Prides Crossing, MA, Jonathan and his wife, Katherine of Windham, NH, Andrew and his husband, John V. Carolan of Palmetto, FL, Sarah Chisholm and her husband Lawrence, of Natick, MA, and James and his wife, Kathryn, of Chelmsford, MA. She is survived by six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren (with a third on the way). She is also survived by her sister, Nancy Malone of Holliston, MA. She is predeceased by her brothers, John and David Richardson. Arrangements have been entrusted to Carrier Family Funeral Home and Crematory, Windham, NH. Interment will be at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY at a future date. In accordance with the familys wishes, no public services will be held. Joan may be remembered with a donation to: Windham Historic District/Heritage Commission c/o Trustees of the Windham Museum, 1 Heritage Hill Road, Windham, NH 03087 or the North Haven Historical Society, P.O. Box 322, North Haven, ME 04853. To leave a message of condolence, please visit www. carrierfuneralhome.com.