Joan Alrica Washington, age 73, passed away peacefully on July 14, 2024 at her home in Stone Mountain, Georgia after a long and courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer. Born January 6, 1951 to Vivian Gayle and Winston Washington in Westmoreland, Jamaica, West Indies, Joan grew up in Mearnsville surrounded by her siblings and cousins and was known for her brilliance at a young age. She attended Mannings High School in Sav-la-Mar until she was old enough to attend Shortwood Teachers' College, and worked as a teacher until she emigrated to the United States in the 1970s.

Joan settled in Poughkeepsie, New York where she married a second time, had two children, and obtained her associates degree in nursing from Dutchess Community College, eventually becoming a registered nurse. In the early 1990s, Joan relocated to Stone Mountain, Georgia and continued her work as a nurse at several local hospitals and clinics, including The Emory Clinic and the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, where she focused on medical oncology.

Joan had a heart for nursing, which was Joan's "dream" job, and she thoroughly enjoyed working hard to provide comfort for those entrusted to her care. She participated regularly in community events and was an active member of Tropical Sports Club for several years. When not working or socializing, Joan tended to be a homebody, and enjoyed gardening, cooking, a great laugh watching Judge Judy reruns, and keeping her mind sharp with weekday Jeopardy episodes.

Joan is survived by her daughter (Natasha Graham), son (Joshua Graham), her grandson (Panuwat Maat Graham), and innumerable family, close friends, and other loved ones near and far, many of whom enveloped Joan with healing thoughts, love, and prayers in her final weeks and days.

A funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at Plummer Funeral Home in Decatur, Georgia. Viewing will be one hour prior to the services at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in memory of Ms. Joan A. Washington be made to Winship Cancer Institute. Please designate your gift to the "Winship Cancer Institute: Patient and Family Services" and / or "Winship Cancer Institute Nursing Education."

To mail your gift, please make your check payable to Winship Cancer Institute, and send your gift to:  Office of Gift Accounting, Emory University, 1762 Clifton Road, Suite 2400, MS: 0970-001-9AA, Atlanta, GA 30322.  To make your gift via phone, please call Emory at 404.712.GIVE (4483). You may also make your gift online:  visit https://together.emory.edu/give/to/patient-care-and-community-health/winship-cancer-institute scroll down and click on "Winship Cancer Institute: Patient and Family Services"  and / or  "Winship Cancer Institute Nursing Education."

OR

Use the Winship Cancer Institute Donation Link at the Bottom of this Page

Winship Cancer Institute ATTN: Office of Gift Accounting, Emory University
1762 Clifton Road, Suite 2400, MS: 0970-001-9AA, Atlanta GA 30322
Web: https://together.emory.edu/give/to/patient-care-and-community-health/winship-cancer-institute