Joan Eloise Kinney

Joan Eloise Kinney died peacefully on January 13, at the age of 94 in Middlebury, Vermont. She is survived by her sister, Dotty Kay Reese, children, Crispin, Patrick, William, and Donna, 10 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

Joan was born on September 14, 1929 in Lamar, CO, to Herschel and Leona Lott. After graduating from La Junta High School, she attended the University of Colorado, where she was a member of Tri Delta sorority and earned her B.A. in English. She married her childhood sweetheart, Donald, beginning their marriage in Tacoma, WA, where he was in flight training for the Air Force. They traveled throughout their marriage, living in Tucson, AZ, Morocco, Clovis, NM, Boulder, CO, Albuquerque, NM, Bedford MA, Annapolis, MD, and Ripton, VT.

While setting up beautiful homes everywhere she lived, Joan earned her teaching and master’s degrees and taught English at Bedford High School for 20 years, where she developed and implemented ground-breaking curriculum, including an inter-disciplinary Humanities course. She was the organist and Choir Director at St. Paul’s Church in Bedford and “Friend of the Year” of the Maryland Federation of the Arts and an active participant in Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis.

She and Donald lived in their Robert Frost farmhouse in Ripton, VT until his death in 2016, at which time she moved to the Residence at Otter Creek in Middlebury, where she made many new and cherished friends. Besides playing bridge and remaining active with PEO, she enjoyed attending services at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.

Joan shared her passion for music and literature with her family, inspiring them to become musicians, artists, writers, and lovers or culture and travel. She was an avid Red Sox fan, who proudly wore Mookie Betts’ jersey while tuned into NESN. Her hands were always busy, sewing colorful quilts and knitting prayer shawls for St. Stephen’s congregation members and hats and scarves that adorn the heads and necks of friends and family far and wide.

Her family wishes to thank the many staff and caregivers at Porter Hospital and The Residence at Otter Creek for their loving support and care of Joan in her final years, as well as her dedicated caretaker, Eugene Warner, who has watched over Don and Joan and the Ripton house for the past 20 years.

Graveside Service will be held Saturday, June 28, 2025 at Fairview Cemetery in La Junta, Colorado at 10:00 a.m. with Rev. Jenn Schadel officiating.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.