Joan P. Whitney

Johanna Theodora (Gawel/Prendergast) Whitney, 89, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, August 27th, 2023. 

Born in Wilmington, DE on April 26th, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Anthony  and Frances (Piersacazik) Gawel, and the stepdaughter of Michael Daniels. She was married to James T. Prendergast, of Hartford CT, in 1955 and widowed in October of 1963.  In 1967, she married Robert E. Whitney originally from Minnesota; who passed away on September 9, 2013. In addition to Jim and Bob, Joan was preceded in death by her infant daughter, Franceska; and her siblings, Alex Gawel, Sophia Gawel, Phyllis Skibicki, and Helen Wisniewski. 

Joan graduated from P.S. duPont High School in 1952, and the Wilmington General Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. She began working in the hospital's communicable disease ward where she met Jim Prendergast.  Several years after Jim’s death, loving friends introduced her to Bob Whitney. Together, they found a second chance at love and built a beautiful “Yours, Mine, and Ours” family.  

Joan, Joannie, Joshia, Jilly, The Queen, Babczi, a devout Catholic, was beloved by all who knew her, whether for 60 years or 60 minutes, she lit up the room with her angelic smile.  She enjoyed helping others and volunteered throughout her life with special focus on serving others as a hospice nurse since 1998. Her selfless contribution to Contac and Delaware Hospice reflected her deep commitment to comforting those with death and life-threatening illnesses. Joan held her nursing license for 68 years, renewing it until 2017. 

She found joy in watching all things grow, especially flowers and her grandchildren.  She loved to dance, and have fun, which was reflected in one of her favorite phrases, "Enjoy life, Employ Life, it flits away it will not stay.”  If she was not gardening or cooking, she was entertaining friends and family. She was as comfortable on the golf course and the bowling alley as she was by a hospital bed, convinced that being useful and joyful were two sides of the same coin. 

Joan will be dearly missed by her daughters, Jennifer Bufano (Michael) and Janet Whitney; her sons, Robert Whitney Jr (Emily), Jonathan Prendergast (Lee), James Prendergast Jr. (Eleanor Wu), and Ronald Whitney (Carol); her grandchildren, Jeffrey, Elizabeth, Peter, Victoria, Natalie, Celia, Julia, Norah, James (Jack), Sarah, Audrey, Robyn, Benjamin, Bella, Stella Rose and Charlotte; and her great-grandchildren, Grace, Audrey, and Whitney Rose. 

Family and friends are invited to visit on Friday, September 1, 2023 from 3-6 PM at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph's on the Brandywine Church, 10 Old Church Road, Greenville, DE 19807 on Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 10:30AM. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery beside her husband, Bob.  

Joan’s family would like to thank the amazing staff from Compassionate Care Hospice who cared for mom as if she was their mother. 

In lieu of flowers, please honor Joan's life by making donations to Delaware Hospice, 630 Churchmans Road Suite 20, Newark, DE 19702 or Compassionate Care Hospice through Amedisys, Inc. 3854 American Way, Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 .

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