Joan Marie Holland

The indomitable Joan Crotty-Holland of Greenville DE has passed away after a seemingly lifetime, multi-decades battle with medical adversity. But it was an adversity which never went uncontested. Even in recent times when mobility and diminishing eyesight challenged she couldn’t resist an invitation to, say, take a cruise—because who in her right mind would pass up an ocean-going wedding ceremony?; and if you’d never been in Morocco before , why would you not leg it to the airport pronto if you had the chance?

Joan was born in Birmingham UK in 1951 where like most of her schoolpals attached herself to The Beatles, whom she seemed to worship, and founding the all-girl group The Leatherettes (whose fame never moved further than the rehearsal attic of her mother’s house). A journey to Italy at age 15 whetted her appetite for different climes and at age 18 she arrived in the USA whch was to be her home for the rest of her life, living variously in New York, California, Washington DC and Delaware. 

Joan is survived by her daughter Siobhan Holland, her immediate family, her grandson Isaac and her brother,  Paul. Her former husband Brian Holland predeceased her. 

Near the end she was surrounded by what she liked most, the company of friends and family getting to see her daughter’s immediate family including Roderick,Mildred, Naomi and Isaac; her brother Paul’s family Stephanie and Olivia, and her cousin Virginia Keane from Limerick, Republic of Ireland. 

Having bested two periods of hospice it always seemed like Joan’s enthusiasm for life would best all, but on June 3 she passed on. To all who knew her please take pleasure from her enthusiasm for the game of life and wish only good things upon yourselves. 

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