Joan Estelle Merrill

Joan Estelle (O'Donnell) Merrill, lovingly known as "Joanie the Firecracker" to her Falmouth family, passed away on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Palm Springs Rehab in Chelmsford, MA, just shy of her 100th birthday. A lifelong spark of joy, opinion, and laughter, Joan lived with passion, warmth, and an unwavering devotion to those she loved.
Born in South Boston, MA on September 3, 1925, Joan was married to the late Henry F. Merrill, and the daughter of the late Martin and Anne (Conley) O'Donnell. She carried her Southie grit and charm wherever life took her. She was a proud graduate of Nazareth High School in Boston, where she was the Valedictorian, and later Burdette College, paving the way for a career rooted in organization and heart. Joan worked for many years as a secretary in the Chelmsford school system, retiring in 1993-but not before leaving an indelible impression on students and staff alike.
Joan was a woman of faith, a communicant of St. John the Evangelist Church in Chelmsford. But perhaps her deepest joy was found in her family-and in the family she created through decades of friendship, and fierce loyalty.
She adored her four children: Joanne Merrill and her husband Steven Gustavson of Nashua, NH; Nancy Merrill of Lexington, MA; Mark Merrill of Las Vegas, NV; Brian Merrill and his husband Jon McKinney of Providence, RI. She beamed with pride over her granddaughter Kyla Gustavson-Pascal, her husband Alex Pascal, and the light of her later years-her great-granddaughter, Lola Pascal. And of course her fur baby Norbie.
While Joan was proud of her Boston roots, her soul belonged to Falmouth, MA, where she spent her happiest days surrounded by dear friends, laughter, and salty Cape Cod air. Whether she was baking her signature treats, crocheting a new masterpiece, or pining for Tom Brady, Joan lived large and loved fiercely.
In honor of her spirit and her commitment to giving, Joan requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Falmouth Service Center at https://www.falmouthservicecenter.org/, as she told us "no kid should go to bed hungry, a full belly is better than a bouquet of dead flowers."
Her memory will forever live on in the hearts of those she touched-family, friends, neighbors, and anyone lucky enough to share a laugh with Joanie the Firecracker.
FUNERAL NOTICE
Joan Estelle (O'Donnell) Merrill, of Tyngsboro, MA died Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Funeral Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 11am St. John's Church, N. Chelmsford, MA. ARRANGEMENTS BY DOLAN FUNERAL HOME 978-251-4041. www.dolanfuneralhome.com