Obituary: Joan Van Schelt Gilliland longtime resident of Guilford

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Obituary courtesy of Guilford Funeral Home:


Joan Van Schelt Gilliland longtime resident of Guilford passed away peacefully on Tuesday January 19, 2021. Mrs. Gilliland was born June 13, 1928 in Englewood, New Jersey, the daughter of Winifred Stocker and Arthur Van Schelt. Joan is predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Richard Gilliland. She is survived by her daughter, Leigh Patenaude (Kenneth) of Milford, CT, a son, Richard Howard Gilliland, Jr. of Essex, and grandchildren Jonathan Callahan, Lindsey Carroll (Dan), and Elizabeth Callahan, all of Madison, CT, Richard Howard Gilliland III of Lexington, Virginia, and Tori Gilliland of London, England. She is also survived by great grandchildren Piper and Daniel Carroll of Madison, a brother-in-law William Gilliland of Pompton Plains, New Jersey, and several nieces and nephews.

Interment will be private. A memorial service will be held at a later date due to COVID concerns.

The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to VNA Community Healthcare & Hospice and Jenny McCobb of JM Homecare for the extraordinary care of our mother. Donations may be made in Joan's memory to VNA Community Healthcare & Hospice, 753 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT 06437 or vnacommunityhealthcare.org.

This article originally appeared on the Guilford Patch