Joan (Morse) Bragdon

BANGOR – Joan (Morse) Bragdon, 83, of Bangor died Sept. 18, 2020, after a five-year battle with pancreatic cancer.Joan was born in Watertown, Mass., in 1936 to John Morse and Mary (McDonnell) Morse. She grew up in Portland, graduating from Deering High School and Gorham State Teachers College.She married her college sweetheart, Neal Bragdon, in 1959 and spent her entire career teaching in Portland public elementary schools. She and Neal enjoyed 51 years together, sharing a passion for teaching and living a full life, enjoying traveling, gardening and family events. Joan loved spending time at the ocean and walking her beloved dog Buddy.Joan was active in many local organizations. She served on the board of Shalom House, was elected to St. Joseph’s Parish Council, served as president of the USM Gorham Alumni Association and volunteered for more than 20 years as a docent at the Portland Museum of Art.Joan was predeceased by her husband Neal in 2010. She is survived by her sister Helen Clonan of Scarborough and her brother John Morse and his wife Rita of Londonderry, Vt. She leaves a son David of Portland, daughter Laurie O’Brien and husband Todd of Orono; and two cherished grandchildren, Justin O’Brien of Portland and Katie O’Brien of Orono.A private funeral mass for immediate family will be held graveside at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland. Arrangements entrusted to Hobbs Funeral Home, South Portland. Online condolences may be expressed at http://www.hobbsfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s name may be made to the: Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine


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