JOAN YUE

YUE JOAN (nee ARCHANGELO) 76, of Philadelphia, PA (formerly of Wilmington, DE) passed away peacefully on March 14, 2023, surrounded by those who loved her after a valiant 20-year struggle with renal cell carcinoma. Joan died as she lived... on her own terms. Born in Wilmington, DE, Joan was an academic star. Valedictorian of her 1964 class at Padua Academy, she graduated with honors from Immaculata College in 1968. After graduation, Joan moved to Boston and worked as a laboratory research assistant at Peter Bent Brigham and Women's Hospital. While there, she married, began whitewater rafting & scuba diving, and realized her true passion was the law. She attended law school at night and, in typical Joan fashion, excelled. Editor-in-chief of the Suffolk Law Review, Joan received her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University in 1978. She moved to Philadelphia for a two year judicial clerkship with the Honorable Alfred L. Luongo, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Philly became her much beloved home for the next 45 years. She loved everything about Philadelphia: cheese steaks, the Mummers, the arts, the sports teams, the festivals, and the people, as well as its proximity to Wilmington, the Jersey Shore and New York City. Using her incisive mind, quick wit, and total commitment to justice, Joan had a distinguished law career. She litigated and tried complex commercial matters in state and federal courts around the country as a partner at three major Pennsylvania law firms: Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz, Klett Leiber Rooney & Schorling, and Reed Smith. Joan's precise intellect and analytical mind were matched by her integrity, authenticity and heartfelt commitment to social justice and fairness, all of which she applied in her service to numerous community and professional organizations. For example, she was a member of the Public Law Center's Board of Advisors and Chair of the Adoption & Foster Care Task Force of the Support Center for Child Advocates. Still, Joan was not just about the law and social responsibility. She had a big heart, generous spirit, and a sense of fun. Her varied interests included the arts, sports, travel, reading, and philanthropy. Joan was a true and loyal friend who maintained many decades-long friendships and relished all sorts of activities within her circle. She traveled widely, loved her cats and old cars, and insisted on driving a stick shift--driving and living on her own terms. Joan was a brilliant and successful woman who was devoted to her friends and family and never forgot her roots. She is survived by sisters Elaine F. Archangelo and Linda Archangelo Sygowski, five beloved cats, Aunt Elaine Archangelo, and several cousins along with many friends, especially her adopted Philadelphia and New Jersey families. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday March 28 at 11 A.M. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 9th and DuPont Streets, Wilmington, DE 19805. There will be Visitation at the church 9-10:45 A.M. before Mass. Commemorative luncheon nearby will immediately follow the service. Interment at a later date will be private. In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial contribution to Stephen A. Maczynski Endowment (Nativity Preparatory School, 1515 Linden St., Wilmington, DE 19805), Padua Academy (905 N. Broom St., Wilmington, DE 19806) or a pet rescue of your choice. For online condolences, please visit: Chandlerfuneralhome.com