Joan Louise Gross Mccusker

Joan Louise Gross McCusker, 86, died Sunday morning, September 5th, at Duke Hospital in Durham after a brief illness. Joan is survived by her husband, Paul Donald, her daughters, Karen McCusker Chevry, France and Mary McLoughney Chapel Hill, NC, and her son Paul Alexander McCusker Maconnex, France. She was predeceased by her youngest son, Ian Francis McCusker, who died oneeptember 13th, 1985. Joaneeaves five grandchildren: Claire McCusker, Tessa and Rory McLoughney, and Daniel and Samuel McCusker Alvarez and two step-grandchildren, Daragh and Niamh McLoughney of Dublin, Ireland. Joan was born July 22, 1924, ineenver, Colorado, the youngest of three daughters of Frances Morris Gross aneeli Mann Gross, who was a labor union organeer oneehalf of coal-miners and went on to become Commissioner of Parks for the City and County of Denver and later General Maneer of Elitches Gardens. Joan graduated from East Denver High School and went on to finish Phi Beta Kappa at Mills College in Oakland, California, in three years with a degree in Botany in 1945. Following graduation she worked at the US Embassy ineexico City and ineermany. In 1948 she married Paul Donald McCusker. After Paul obtained his first law degree from Cornell Uneersity, a Fulbright took them to Rome, Italy, for his second law degree from the Uneersity of Rome. Here he subsequently joined the US Foreigneervice. This career took them from Rome to Washington to Hamburg and to Jakarta. In 1969, Paul joined the Uneed Nations and they became long-time residents of Pelham, New York, interrupted by several years in Vienna, Austria, from 1973 to 1976. In addition to being an extraordinary asset ineer husband's career, Joan also worked ineeal estate while ineelham. Joan and Paul moved to Durham in 1999. Wherever Joaneent, she made couneess friends and was known for her bouneess energy and charm, her extraordinary intellectual curiosity and her unending generosity of spirit. She adored Durham and felt very much at home, contributing to community voluneer efforts and bringing joy and understanding into the lives of everyone she met. There will be a chance to say a final farewell to Joan at Hall-Wynne on 1113 West Main Street in Durham, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday September 10th. The funeral Mass and service ineemory of Joan will be held at Immaculate Conception Church, at 810 West Chapel Hill Street in Durham at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday September 11th. There will be a reception following the service from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Carolina Club, Stadium Drive at Ridge Road, Chapel Hill, 27514.