Joan Rose Elvers-Fahey

Joan Rose was a sister, a daughter, a niece, a cousin, an aunt, an athlete, an artist, and lover of animals. She fought injustice even while fighting those that she most loved. Her biggest confrontation was with her own mental health challenges that ultimately led to addiction.
Above all, Joanie Rose was compassionate, always helping people that she identified as less fortunate than herself.

On Tuesday, May 18, 2022, she entered BayState Hospital as Jane Doe, an un-named, story-less victim of the opioid epidemic. She left this world on May 23, 2022, as Joan Rose Elvers-Fahey, deeply loved by family and friends, leaving a legacy of helping and caring for others even after her last breath by donating her organs to give life to others.

Joan was born in Holyoke. When she was five years old, Joan was adopted, along with her sister Anne and moved with her parents to Amherst. She attended the Amherst Public Schools.

After leaving school, Joan lived primarily in West Springfield.
There, she captured the hearts of many friends who will miss her deeply. Among them, her partner Brandon, her best friend Mario as well as Dennis and John.

Joan leaves her beloved sister Anne Elvers-Fahey, nephew Dontae and predeceased niece Genesis, her mother and stepmother Charlene Elvers and Mary Colwell of Williamsburg, her mother Kathleen (Kate) Fahey of Holyoke, her stepbrothers Joshua and Jonathan Colwell and her aunts and uncles, Joanne Trimble, Thomas, Maryelizabeth and Joseph Fahey and Sarah Bott.

Joan’s biological maternal family, the Donoghues from Holyoke include her grandfather, Stephen F. Donoghue, her half-brothers Aaron Manley and John Sexton, Jr. and predeceased by her biological mother Joan Young.

Gifts of money in Joan’s name may be sent to Dakin Humane Society at P.O. Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101 or online at dakinhumane.org