Joanne Frances (Barrett) Sliney — “Joan”, “Mom”, “Nana” — of Hampton, New Hampshire, a former Lexington and Concord resident, died at age 88 on July 9, 2024. “Nana” to 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, “Mom” to her own five children, and “Joan” to her loving husband Joseph Leo Sliney, Jr. for 63 years before his death on December 9, 2020.
Once Nana moved from Lexington to Hampton, she spent her years with her daughters and more importantly with her grandchildren. Nana was a cheerleader for all her grandchildren’s major events that included track races, road races, and cross-country races. She was famous for bringing them nutrition in the form of Lindt chocolate or treating them to dinners at McDonald’s on the way home to reward them for a great job at their events. Nana’s support was endless at extracurricular activities such as musicals, plays, band, chorus, presentations, and continuous award and graduation ceremonies from grade schools, high schools, and colleges across America as she loved all 14 grandchildren. She was a regular at all the “grandparent day” events.
Joan spent many long winters with her husband Joe in Naples, Florida, with their daughter and son-in-law, Colleen Sliney and Robert Klucevsek, enjoying their “Wiggins Pass,” boating, dining out, and sitting at the beach. Her favorite trip was to Ireland with Joe, daughter Colleen, son-in-law Robert, and granddaughter Kayla, traveling more than 1,500 miles by car over 10 days, sleeping and staying in castles across the old land visiting their family heritage.
Nana caught the technology bug quite readily. She had her grandchildren on speed dial with her cell phone on a regular basis. She perfected the art of communicating with Facebook as she never missed a friend or family birthday or celebration of congratulatory messages. As she loved her Google hardware, she was a pro at saying “Hey Google, call…” to talk to her grandchildren and see her latest great-grandchildren on a regular basis that are spread among states including Florida, Wisconsin, Utah, New Jersey, New York, California, Texas, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Nana’s advocacy for her grandchildren extended over the years to dining frequently at her granddaughter’s, Molly, “The Big Bad” food truck events and locally at (Molly & Ben’s) Hampton Beach location in the recent summers and at any event that she could attend. Nana loved to go out for her dinner. Nana loved the Beach Plum, Al’s Seafood, Ray’s Seafood, The Old Salt, and Latitudes in New Castle. You could find her at one of those hangouts with her daughters or grandkids when they were in town!
Joan was born in Watertown to parents John J. Barrett (Boston) and Frances Collins (Murphy) Barrett. Her father passed when she was only three, and her mother, Frances, as a widower went right to work at Harvard University where she made only $12/week (6-day week) in order to educate and care for Joan. Joan graduated from Ursuline Academy (Boston) and Burdett College (Boston). Joan also did modeling over the years and attended Academie Moderne in Boston.
Joan married the love of her life, Joseph, on July 27, 1957. After just one month of knowing Joe, she knew he was the one, and the rest of her life was filled with children and family. She dedicated herself to her children and their home. Bringing to life their first-born child, Mary Frances Sliney, who was born on May 24, 1958 in Watertown and passed away on October 3, 1969 in Concord. Joan’s family of five children (Mary Frances, Colleen Marie, Joseph Leo III, Joan Barrett, Jacqueline Jean) grew up in Concord.
The family moved to Lexington in the later years where Joan grew life-long friendships. She and Joe worked hard in their yard and on their home over the years; they both could be found raking, cutting, trimming, and painting their home. They dedicated themselves to their home and family in all that they did. Joan worked for Adam Russell Cable Company in Lexington selling cable channels during its infancy, door to door! She won many top sales awards while with the cable company.
Joan’s extended family grew as she welcomed three sons-in-law (Jeffrey P. Cullinane, Robert G. Klucevsek, and Joseph W. McCoy), and one daughter-in-law (Laurie Voskerjian). Her extended family includes 14 grandchildren, Robert J. Klucevsek of Salem, MA (Katherine), Jeffrey P. Cullinane Jr. of Salt Lake City, Utah (Brianna), Patrick F. Cullinane of New York (Helena), Maryann (Klucevsek) Sbraga of Naples, Florida (Francesco), Dr. Conor R. Cullinane of Green Bay, Wisconsin (Robin), Eamon B. Cullinane of Dallas, Texas, Kylie E. McCoy of Boston, (Salvador), Seamus C. Cullinane of Jersey City, New Jersey (Inka), Molly J. St. Jeanne of Hampton, New Hampshire (Ben), Alexander B. Sliney of Salem, New Hampshire, Christina H. Sliney of Salem, New Hampshire, Kayla J. Klucevsek of Naples, Florida, Devinne M. Cullinane of San Francisco, California, and Mercedes J. McCoy of Hampton, New Hampshire.
Her legacy lives on within seven great-grandchildren. All seven are spread across America, including Kennedy S. Cullinane and Reagan R. Cullinane of Salt Lake City, Utah, Sophie G. Sbraga of Naples, Florida, and Apollo M. Cullinane and Barrett R. Cullinane of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The most recent addition this week was Caleb J. Cullinane of New York, and another newborn girl is expected within the week, Francesca F. Vascomi of Boston.
Nana continued to participate in her grandchildren’s lives until her last week. Her last week included attending her great-grandchild’s baby shower (Francesca F.) in Boston and earlier this month she attended a night at the Boston Pops (on the floor) in Boston. She did not miss most recently cheering at a local road race. In addition, Nana shopped at Marshalls, picking up new baby gifts as a regular in North Hampton, and she made one last stop to The Home Depot in order to grab a gift card to give as a thank you to a son-in-law. Her final Dollar Store visit was to pick up more cards for babies and a thank you card! Nana always spent time to look for small tokens of appreciation for family members, and she would surprise each when they stopped into her Hampton home. Her joy of shopping and giving special gifts for holidays and birthdays left her mark with all the children over the years with Christmas as her favorite giving time to all of her family.
Nana loved her own children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She said before she passed, “Love you,” as her family surrounded her, which is exactly as she had wished.
We Love You!
Family and friends will gather for visiting hours at Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, on Thursday, July 18 from 8:30 to 10:15 a.m. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. in St. Bernard’s Church at Holy Family Parish, 12 Monument Square. Burial will follow at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Services will conclude with a reception at Concord’s Colonial Inn.
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. For her online guestbook, visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.
