BARRE – Joanne Frances Wilson Bowles, 86, a lifelong resident of Barre City, went home to be with the LORD on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, surrounded by loving family.

Born on November 12, 1939, in Barre, she was the daughter of Frank and Elva (Mochetti) Wilson. She graduated from Spaulding High School in 1957 and went on to study nursing at the Hartford Hospital School of Nursing in Connecticut. After graduating with her BSN degree in 1960, she returned to work in the Med-Surg Unit at the former Barre City Hospital, where she met her husband Franklin Bowles. They were married on July 4, 1964, and lived in Bradford for a year until they moved to Barre, where they raised their four children.

Joanne was an amazing homemaker and loved her children deeply. She and Frank supported their kids in all their activities, attending their sporting events, concerts and plays. The Bowles’ home was always a place of warmth and hospitality. After the kids had grown, Joanne went back to work as an Ophthalmic Assistant at The Eye Center in Berlin.

Joanne liked to travel and she and Franklin made many wonderful memories traveling around the country as part of Gideons International. She also cherished the memories from her trips to Scotland and Italy, where her grandparents were born. She especially loved her time with family at the beach in Westerly, RI. She spent many summers as a girl with her beloved grandmother, and until a few years ago was found during the summers riding the surf at Misquamicut Beach with her family, and her dear cousin, Lido Mochetti.

She loved music and delighted in playing “Chopsticks” with her children and grandchildren, as well as impromptu hymns on the piano, and singing in church. She enjoyed watching college basketball, doing crossword puzzles, and reading mystery novels, but at 7pm everything stopped because it was time for Jeopardy! In her later years, she enjoyed going to the movies, as well as attending shows and concerts at the Barre Opera House with friends. Joanne was a Friend of the Aldrich Library, and active in the Barre Senior Center

She is survived by her brother Frank Wilson III (Sue); four children: Loriann Lajeunesse (Daniel), Nelson (Andri), Pauline Retnarajan (Beadle), and Mattthew (Aislinn); eight grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband Franklin in July of 2013.

The family is very grateful to Sarah Rowan, devoted Director, and all the dedicated staff at Lincoln House, where Joanne had resided for the past 15 months. Their wonderful care, kindness, compassion, and support will always be remembered. Thank you as well to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice.

A service to honor and celebrate Joanne’s life will be held on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 4pm at the First Baptist Church, 24 Washington St., Barre, VT (home of Enough Ministries). There are no calling hours.

In a private ceremony, she will be buried next to her husband in the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lincoln House, 120 Hill Street, Barre, VT 05641.