Joan Peffley

Joan Y. (Bouchat) Peffley of Reading, 77, passed away Oct. 20, 2011, in St. Joseph Medical Center where she was a patient since Sept.10.

Born Nov. 20, 1933, in Reading, she was the daughter of the late Bennett B. Bouchat and Dorothy (Marks) Bouchat.

Joan graduated from West Reading High School in 1951. At graduation, she was awarded Outstanding Woman of the Year for sports for her class, for her four years in high school. She also was an outstanding swimmer at the West Reading pool and won many awards. She swam at many Aquatics shows at the pool and was included with her picture and write up in the book, "Splash, Aquatic Shows from A to Z", written by Robert Kerper Jr., which is included in the Library of Congress.

After graduation Joan went to the first School of Radiology Class at the Reading Hospital in 1951 and was employed at the Reading Hospital under Dr. George Chamberlin in the X-ray Department. In the last 18 years of her employment she worked in the Respiratory Therapy Department at the Reading Hospital until her retirement in 1986.

Joan joined the Board of Directors at the Crestwood Swimming Association and was active in swimming with her family. She was the first woman swimming official for the Berks County Swimming Association.

She moved to Naples, FL, for 25 years after retirement where she worked part-time for many travel agencies. She was on the Board of Riviera Colony for eight years and later worked at the Beach House of Naples for five years.

REIKI came into Joan's life upon her return to Pennsylvania and she studied the art form under David Bause, Master of Reiki in Pottstown. She later became a Master of Reiki in 2008 and worked at the St. Joseph's Hospital where she helped cancer patients. She conducted her private practice of Reiki in Sinking Spring, helping many others learn about Reiki and its healing.

Surviving Joan are seven children: Cathy Davis, wife of Rob Davis, of Pompton Lakes, NJ, Scott Werner of Reading, Brian Werner, husband of Mary Beth Werner, of Exeter Twp., Linda Duren of Sinking Spring, Sherry Haig of Spring Hill, FL, David Wierzbicki, husband of Stephanie, of Sinking Spring, and Donna Terefenko, wife of Mark, of Sinking Spring; 12 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services will be Monday at 12 p.m. in Bean Funeral Home, 3825 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring. Friends and relatives will be received Monday 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to American Lung Assn., 527 Plymouth Road, Suite 403, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. Online condolences may be made at www.beanfuneralhomes.com.