Joan W. Castrantas, of Newtown, passed away on Sunday, November 17, 2013 at her residence. She was 78.

Born in Buffalo, New York, she was the daughter of the late Fred and Christine Brader Wallace. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Harry as well as her daughter Mary Jo Castrantas and her grandson Alexander Castrantas.

Joan was a 1956 graduate of the University of Buffalo, earning her nursing degree in conjunction with Buffalo General Hospital. She met her future husband while in college, and they were married soon after graduation in September of 1956. Shortly after, they moved to Trenton, NJ, where she was employed as a registered nurse at various hospitals. In 1973, her family moved to Newtown. She worked for many years for Dr. Howard A. Leister, a family doctor from Newtown as well as several different nursing homes in Bucks County.

In her free time she enjoyed reading, gardening, volunteering and keeping her house tidy. She loved spending time with her family in their summer home in Maine, and would stay there over the summer months with her husband.

Joan was a loving mother and grandmother, and will be dearly missed.

Joan is survived by her daughter, Christine Zerrer of Pacifica, CA; her sons: Mark E. Castrantas and his wife Lorraine of Richboro, PA and Paul D. Castrantas of Philadelphia, PA; and her grandchildren: Cassidy, Andrew, Lauren, Bryan, Adam, Timothy and Kory; and her great granddaughter: Isabella.

Relatives and friends are invited to a Memorial Service on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 11:00am in the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, 1505 Makefield Rd., Morrisville, PA 19067, and are invited to visit with the family immediately after the service. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum P.O. Box 521 Rangeley, ME 04970