Joan F. Hall

Joan Marie Fissell Hall passed away August 1st surrounded by her children, and was whisked immediately to the ice cream buffet in heaven where she had the first of many guilt-free caramel sundaes. Joan was a deeply spiritual woman whose faith and family were foremost in her life. Her dynamic nature cannot be captured in these few lines.

Joan was born to Henry George Fissell and Lillian Deckert Fissell on November 4th, 1943 in Newark, NJ. She is one of five siblings and is survived by her sisters, Patricia Fissell Stover and Katherine Fissell Fagan; and her brothers, Michael George Fissell and Thomas McGrath Fissell. Joan was the loving mother to four children: her daughter, Louise Hall Larsen, and her sons, Timothy Ryan Hall, Peter William Hall, and Matthew Curtis Hall. She was additionally a devoted mother-in-law to her son-in-law Eric Andrew Larsen and her daughters-in-law Roopali Agarwal Hall and Kathryn Leavitt Mussio. Joan loved nothing more than being surrounded by her family and took special pride in spending time with—and spoiling—her five grandchildren: Charles Deckert Larsen, Patrick Lawrence Larsen, Hillary Hall Larsen, Anika Lily Hall and Sonia Rose Hall. She insisted on having unique, unshakeable bonds with each of her grandchildren and they will carry that gift with them for the rest of their lives.

Joan possessed an inner grace and beauty that allowed her to relate to anyone. She was boundlessly enthusiastic about sharing her love of life with everyone, and she was relentlessly positive--always finding the bright side of life. Joan also had an iron will and unshakeable faith that allowed her to overcome tremendous challenges and always face life on life’s terms. She was diligent about keeping in touch and, as a result, Joan had a rich network of treasured friends that she collected like cherished sea glass. These friendships spanned her entire life: high school friends from Marylawn, friends from The College of Saint Elizabeth, her Princeton friends from her time living on the farm in the Amwell Valley, her friends from Rumson and Fair Haven, and her bridge group and travel friends. Joan took particular pride in her home in Fair Haven and loved to garden and discuss her endless plans for renovation and improvement. She had always intended to travel in retirement and in the last several years had enjoyed touring with friends in China, Turkey, India, Machu Picchu, and, most recently, Whistler, B.C. with her grandson Charlie. When she wasn’t traveling, Joan was happiest with a book in her hands and her feet in the sand at her “private” beach in Sea Bright, NJ.

Joan spent the last 26 years of her professional career working as a wealth and asset manager, and she loved the responsibility of helping people construct prudent financial plans. She was passionate about her work and treated her clients like a large, extended family.

There will be a visitation for Joan at The John E. Day funeral home in Red Bank, NJ on Sunday, August 6th from 1-4pm and 6-9pm. Funeral services celebrating Joan’s life will be held at 10:00am Monday, August 7th at Nativity Church in Fair Haven, NJ.

Memorial donations may be made to The Zita M. & Evangeline F. Deckert Scholarship Fund at The College of Saint Elizabeth, Attn: Sally Cleary, VP, 2 Convent Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960-6989 in Joan’ s memory.

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