Joanne M. (White) Connaughton

Joanne Marie (White) Connaughton, 77, of Lawrence and formerly of Burlington and South Tamworth, N.H., died peacefully on May 17, 2013 at Lowell General Hospital's Saints Campus in Lowell. For 56 years, she was the beloved wife of Paul F. Connaughton.

She was born in Concord, N.H., on May 19, 1935, the daughter of the late Alcidor "Fred" and Mary (Vacaro) White. She spent her early years in Penacook, N.H., before her family moved to Somerville, where she graduated from St. Clement School in 1953 at the top of her class before going on to attend nurses training school. In 1957, she married the love of her life and settled in Burlington. For many years, she was a homemaker and active in local organizations, and was a communicant of St. Malachy Church in Burlington.

Joanne loved classic movies, musicals and baseball, and after moving to South Tamworth, N.H., she spent many happy years as a successful crafter, sewing a variety of items including dolls and doll clothes, and was a regular at craft fairs around New England.

In addition to her husband, Joanne is survived by her son Michael Connaughton and his wife Sue Ann of Salem; her daughter Paula Driscoll and her husband, John of Andover; her son John Connaughton and his wife, Christine of Tewksbury; her son James Connaughton of South Tamworth, N.H.; and her grandchildren, Janelle Driscoll and Jack Driscoll of Andover. She is also survived by her dear friends Donald and Sylvia Trussell of Burlington, as well as a large extended family. She was the sister of the late Richard White and Paul J. White of Massachusetts.