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Joan MAHAR Obituary
"Joanie"(nee Van Arsdale)
Joan Hartz Mahar (nee Van Arsdale) passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2023 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was born in South Buffalo on April 9, 1943, the first of three children of Paul and Fern Van Arsdale. She is predeceased by her parents, husband David Mahar, and sister Janet (David) Greaves. She is survived by her three sons Robert (Lauren) Hartz, James Hartz, and Michael Hartz, a brother William Van Arsdale; two nephews Kris (Bonnie) Lawrence and Dan (Caitlin) Lawrence; and four grandchildren Emma, Joshua, Landon, and Sloane. Joan graduated from South Park High School in 1960 and attended the University at Buffalo, earning her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics in 1965. She entered public education and taught in the Ken-Ton, Sweet Home, Lew-Port, Lockport, and Barker school districts, earning her Master's degree in Education from Buffalo State College in 1983. Joan was fiercely independent, raising three boys as a single-parent in Wilson, NY. In 1992, she was remarried to David Mahar of Wilson, and spent many years traveling to Fort Myers Beach, Florida and Europe. Joan believed in the value of a good education and that anyone can accomplish what they choose with hard work and perseverance. She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wilson and always said the most important relationship one has is the one with God. Visitation hours will be at Hamilton & Clark Funeral Home in Wilson, NY on Thursday, January 26th from 5-8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 27th at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. A graveside burial service will follow in Greenwood Cemetery, Wilson. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Joan's memory to the Alzheimer's Association of Western New York, 6400 Sheridan Drive, Suite 320, Amherst, NY 14221.
Memories and Condolences
for Joan MAHAR
4 Entries
craig
January 27, 2023
one of the best teachers we had at Barker.
STEPHEN MUSCATO
January 26, 2023
May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.
Joe Renowden
January 26, 2023
So very sad to hear of losing one of our most gifted classmates. That bachelor´s degree in mathematics is a major intellectual accomplishment!! (We engineers understand and applaud that!) No surprise to read that Joanie was fiercely independent... and a teacher as well. Having been on a distant walkabout all these years since SPHS, I realize I´ve missed a lifetime of warm and rewarding friendships with Joanie and much of the class of 1960.
May her family and friends take pride and find solace in Joanie´s amazing accomplishments and contributions to the education of our society.
Rest east teach...
Duane Bace
January 26, 2023
To family of "Joanie " VanArsdale (Hartz and Mahar) ,
So sorry to hear of Joan's passing . We were friends at SPHS and South Pres. church . The last time I saw Joan was the day our daughter and Joan's son Jimmy were moving into Geneseo State we met as we passed on stairs and I never forgot that . As we all go our own ways and move to wherever we look back at times like this and when you see a
friends name in the paper it brings back many happy memories . It seems like I send this type of condolences to many time now as we get to our age , but to me, I have to recognize a dear friend like "Joanie" .
Living in the West we don't get back to Buffalo much and something like this brings back fond memories of friends . God bless you and your families at this time of sorrow . Joan has gone home to be with our Lord , and she will live in our memories forever
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Memorial Events
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Jan
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Visitation
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Hamilton and Clark Funeral Home - Wilson270 Young Street, Wilson, NY 14172
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Hamilton and Clark Funeral Home - Wilson270 Young Street, Wilson, NY 14172
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