BAILEY ISLAND – Joan Herdegen, 88, died peacefully at her home on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, with her family and her pets at her side.  
Joan grew up in Union, N.J. with her brother, Bob Nahf. Upon graduation from Union High School she started working at New Jersey Bell where she worked until her retirement.
In 1955 she married Dick Herdegen, a commercial artist who worked in advertising. 
She and Dick settled in Verona, N.J. In the late 1970s, with the advent of computers, Joan retrained and became a software developer with New Jersey Bell. She and her husband were passionate about art and were frequent visitors at museums. She was an active volunteer at Alcoholic Anonymous’s Alateen, counseling children of alcoholics. Every summer she and her husband would spend their vacation on Bailey Island with her brother Bob and sister-in-law, Mary Ann and their two children, Lisa and Rob.   
After her retirement, Joan decided to pursue the college degree that she had always wanted. An avid reader with a strong interest in history, she chose to study ancient Greek. She graduated with her bachelor of arts degree from Drew University in 1998.   
Shortly thereafter Dick retired and they decided to settle on Bailey Island. At the same time her brother, Bob and sister-in-law, Mary Ann did the same and they ended up living next to each other. The family summer vacation tradition continued, with yearly visits from her niece and nephew and their children.   
Animals were always an important part of Joan and Dick’s lives and over the years they adopted  several Maine Coon cats while vacationing. They adopted two small dogs to keep their cats’ company once they were settled in Maine. Joan sat on the board of Mirian’s Dream. She was a member of the Mingo Club and the Bailey Island Association.   
Joan is survived by her niece, Lisa Nahf and her husband Bart Vanhoutte and their children Bram and Kate of Rotselaar, Belgium; her nephew, Rob Nahf and his wife Corinne Strickland and their children Avery, Miles and Tessa of Tucson, Ariz.; and her sister-in-law, Mary Ann Nahf of Bailey Island.   
A memorial service will be held at a later date with announcements to follow at that time. 
Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick where memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com
Memorial donations in the name of Joan Herdegen may be made to
Mirian’s Dream
P.O. Box 365
Brunswick, ME  04011
https://www.mariansdream.org/animal_welfare/ or to
Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire and Rescue
1600 Harpswell Islands Rd.
Orr’s Island, ME 04066 
https://www.obifd.org/ 

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