Joan Kendrick Deragon

Joan Kendrick Deragon, 90, passed away from natural causes on January 7, 2018, in San Luis Obispo, California. Joan was born March 27, 1927, in Albany, New York. She and her brother, Carroll J Kendrick, Jr., “Pat,” were raised by their loving mother, Helen Marie Stoffels, and later by their grandmother, Nellie, after Helen’s early death. Eventually, they went to live with members of their father’s family. Joan attended Cathedral High School in Albany, where she met and fell in love with Frederick Gerald Deragon, Jr. (Fred). During the war, Joan worked in Albany for the telephone company and made friends there that lasted her lifetime. After Fred’s return from his service with the occupation forces in Berlin, they wed in 1948, and soon welcomed their daughter, Kathleen. After Fred completed his aeronautical engineering studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, they moved to Corning, NY, for Fred’s new job with Ingersoll Rand. Their first son, Frederick, Jr. (Rick) was born there. Fred quickly took a job with Garrett AirResearch in Columbus, OH, where son Peter was born. Joan was always the stalwart homemaker while Fred’s career with Garrett included promotions and transfers that took the family to Maryland, Georgia, Virginia, Texas, and finally California, where they settled on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Joan was a generous and energetic hostess, and they had great fun for years with couples they met through the church guild and playing golf. Joan always had a beautiful home with an open door for her children’s friends. For years she was a docent at the Banning Museum in Wilmington, sharing her love of history and the decorative arts with the people who toured the home. Joan also loved to travel and accompanied Fred on his business trips to Europe and the Far East. Paris was a favorite destination. Their shared love of golf saw them travel up and down the state of California to play many different courses. Knowing that it was always five o’clock somewhere, Joan looked forward to a glass of chardonnay each evening, especially with friends and family and good food. Joan was a great cook and that love was passed on to all her children. Nobody could match her chicken and dumplings or poached salmon. She is survived by her children, Kathleen, Rick (Karen), and Peter (Sheree); five grandchildren, Sarah, Emily (Andy), Brooke, Heather, and Kenji; and two great grandchildren, Aden and Isabel. A Celebration of Life will be held in Rancho Palos Verdes in March. Sign her guestbook at ww.reisfamilymortuary.net/obituaries. In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the City of Hope.

Joan Kendrick Deragon

March 27, 1927 - January 7, 2018