Joan A. Breach

Joan Breach, 93 of Weymouth, MA, passed peacefully at home following her third battle with cancer and a long life well-lived.

Born Joan Arlene Gould Snow on June 28, 1932 in Brockton, MA to Muriel Louise Gould Snow and Leonard Snow.

Pre-deceased by her husband of 52 years Harold “Al” Breach, her parents Muriel and Leonard, her stepfathers Patrick Francis Hayes, and George Lloyd Gibbs.

Joan grew up in Dorchester, graduating from Hyde Park High School in 1950, and soon thereafter married Al Breach on July 1st of the same year.  They settled into a new home in East Weymouth, where Joan lived out the remainder of her life after Al’s sudden passing in 2003. Joan is survived by two daughters, Carolyn “Lyn” Breach of Hallandale, FL and Pamela “Pam” Breach of East Weymouth, MA, and a beloved granddaughter, Rebecca Casavant of Braintree, MA.

In addition to some time working together at Smith Print in Weymouth (Al’s day job), Joan and Al owned and operated Al’s Skate Shop in Weymouth, serving all levels of figure skaters, including many local, national and international competitors with skates, expert sharpening and skating apparel. She really enjoyed her business within a business of selling handmade blade covers, crafted by her and close friends from the skating world.  The Breaches were a skating family, Lyn as coach, Pam as competitor, and the skate shop passionately run by Joan and Al.

Joan had many other hobbies including gardening, sewing, knitting, crocheting, needlepoint and bird and butterfly watching. She found comfort and joy in the companionship of animals, especially her cat, Kitty, and Rebecca’s dog, Sierra. She also delighted in going out to eat, finding happiness in a good meal and the joy of getting out with family or friends.

When the skate shop closed in 2003, Joan missed all of the skaters and parents she had the joy to work with over the years. So many friendships and great memories were formed with skaters and their families. She enjoyed watching competitive skating whenever it was on tv all the way through the 2026 Olympics. She also became a Patriots fan, watching games with her daughter Pam, when she wasn’t at the game.

Joan treasured memories of times spent in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond with lifelong friends made as a child, then in the neighborhood and through skating. She loved spending time with her granddaughter Rebecca - even just to catch up.

Her final year was lived with love, dignity, eating out whenever possible, and under the care of a wonderful team of round the clock caregivers and CROI Health Hospice. She will be missed by family, friends and caregivers alike.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to the visitation for Joan on Saturday, February 28, 2026 from 9-11am in the C. C. Shepherd Funeral Home located at 134 Pleasant St. (Columbian Sq.) Weymouth, MA. A funeral Service will take place in the funeral home immediately following the visitation at 11am. Celebration of Life will follow the services in the Bates Room at the Range Restaurant in Hingham beginning at 12:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Joan Breach to support cancer research and patient care at:Dana-Farber Cancer Institute P.O. Box 849168 Boston, MA 02284 or www.dana-farber.org/gift.