Joan Ancona Obituary

Joan DeNyke Ancona
1936-2025
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joan DeNyke Ancona in the early morning hours of Monday, June 23, 2025. Joan had just celebrated her 89th birthday. She will be remembered by all as a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and devoted member of St. Rose of Lima Church.
Joan was born on June 8, 1936 in Norwalk, CT to Robert and Lorraine DeNyke. She grew up in Ridgefield, and her family eventually settled in the Branchville area, across the street from the Ancona family. Little did she know that the neighborhood boy, Joseph Paul Ancona Jr., would become the love of her life. They were married on September 22, 1957 at Sacred Heart Church in Georgetown and settled into their own home in Branchville.
Joan took great pride in raising their three sons, Joe, Bob, and Jim, and in helping her husband with the family business, Ancona's Market. Ancona's was known for its "homemade" roast beef. Joan often told stories of the countless roasts of beef that she made every week in their Branchville home before the market expanded to have a full sized kitchen. She was always there to support her husband's endeavors as well as the boys' forays into sports and music. When their youngest son Jim became a professor of music at the University of Delaware and the assistant director of the Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band, Joan and Joe would often be in the stands to cheer them on. It was that same son, Jim and his wife June, that would later give Joan her most cherished title of "Nana" to their grandson Marcus Christopher Ancona. Joan also enjoyed being a step-grandmother to Ryan, Josh, Will, Ben, and great-granddaughter Ellie.
After Joe's retirement, Joan and Joe moved to Newtown. They enjoyed many years of playing bocce, traveling, spending time with family, friends, and they were deeply involved with their faith and church. They were happily married for 64 years until Joe's passing on November 13, 2021.
Joan is survived by her sons Joseph (Laura Ancona), Robert, and James (June Kim Ancona), grandson Marcus Ancona, sister-in-law Phyllis Ancona Taylor, brother-in-law John Ancona (Jody Ancona), many nieces and nephews, and Joan's angel, Deb Ancona, who was faithfully by her side during Joan's recent illness.
Friends may call on Monday, June 30th, between the hours of 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. at Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street Newtown. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 1st, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown. Interment will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, Ridgefield. In Lieu of flowers, please donate to The Center for Empowerment and Education: https://thecenterct.org/how-to-help-us/giving-form/