It is with profound sadness and overflowing love that we announce the passing of Joan Loveland Chase, a woman whose quiet strength, boundless grace, and generous heart left an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

Born on June 5, 1945, in Hanover, New Hampshire, Joan built a life that was nothing short of remarkable — not because it was without hardship, but because of how beautifully she rose above every challenge placed before her.

Joan married the love of her life, Robert Warren Stone, and together they made their home in Alton, New Hampshire, where they began their family and built a life full of hope and promise. Their union brought two beloved sons, Robert and Jason, into the world. When Robert was taken far too soon — lost to cancer in the prime of his life — Joan faced a grief that would have broken many. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and pressed forward with extraordinary courage. She put herself through school, held her family together with unwavering devotion, and carved out a career that would come to define her legacy.

For over forty years, Joan graced the classrooms of New Durham School as a dedicated and beloved teacher. Generations of children passed through her care, and countless families can point to Joan as someone who shaped, encouraged, and believed in their children. She was not simply a teacher — she was a cornerstone of her community.

Life offered Joan a second chapter of love when she married Terry Chase. Together they shared 34 wonderful years of joy, laughter, and the fullness of a life well-lived, with so many of those years spent surrounded by their grandchildren, whom they cherished dearly, until Terry’s passing in 2009. Though her heart bore loss more than its share, Joan never let sorrow dim her warmth or her spirit.

Beyond the classroom and through every season of her life, Joan’s hands were never still. An extraordinarily gifted quilter and seamstress, she poured her love into every stitch — crafting beautiful bags, pot holders, quilts, and countless other treasures. Her creations were more than fabric and thread; they were pieces of herself, given freely and kept forever by those lucky enough to receive them. She was equally renowned in her kitchen, where her cooking brought family and friends to the table and kept them there, full and happy and deeply loved.

Joan cherished the simple, irreplaceable things in life — the sound of waves at the beach, the laughter of her grandchildren, and in her most recent and joyful chapter, the wonder of watching her great-grandchildren discover the world. Her face lit up in their presence in a way that said everything words could not. She had a lifelong love of flowers, and their beauty never failed to bring a smile to her face.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Ira and Christine Grant; her sisters, Judy Reed and Jeanne Grant; and her beloved husbands, Robert Stone and Terry Chase.

She is survived by her sister, Joy Bandy; her sons, Robert Stone and his wife Jean, and Jason Stone and his wife Maria; her grandchildren, Sarah Steward and husband Josh, Shelby George and husband David, Emily Stone, and Brittney Chapman; her great-grandchildren, Jayson and Layla Steward; and her niece, Lori Gibson.

Joan Loveland Chase lived with purpose, loved without reservation, and gave more than she ever asked for in return. She was a teacher, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, and a friend — and she was irreplaceable in every single role. The world is quieter without her, but it is immeasurably richer for every year she was in it.

May she rest in the peace she so deeply deserved, surrounded by those who went before her — and held forever in the hearts of those she leaves behind.

A celebration of Joan's life will be held at a later date.