Joanne Eileen Scanlon

Joanne Eileen Scanlon, 69, of South Abington Township, died on Thursday at her home following a 14-month struggle with cancer. Born in Scranton, Joanne was the daughter of Annamae Durkin Ryder and the late Joseph Charles Ryder and a 1973 graduate of Central High School. She and her husband James Charles Scanlon celebrated 50 years of marriage earlier this month.

Joanne was a spiritual person and made many friends through her yoga and meditation practice. She looked forward to her walks at South Abington Park and attending events as a member of The Laurel Garden Club. Joanne also enjoyed volunteering at hospitals, schools, and nursing homes with her therapy dogs.

During her life, she served the community in many different capacities. Joanne's earliest and last jobs both involved caring for the elderly and sick, first as a young adult at the Mountain Rest Nursing Home and then just before retiring as a hospice home health aide for Allied Health. She spent her early and mid-career working for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Prudential Insurance Company. She then worked as a nurse's aide at Abington Manor before setting out on the path of teaching yoga and meditation. She most recently led a weekly meditation group at the Abington Senior Center.

Joanne will be missed by those who knew and loved her. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter Colleen Scanlon Mullally and son-in-law William Jerome Mullally, her son James Charles Scanlon, her mother Annamae Ryder, her sister Mari Ryder Regan, her nieces Lauren Marie Miller, Ann-Marie Ward, Karen Ghani, and Kelly Martin, her nephews Thomas James Ryder, Shawn J. Regan, and Connor N. Regan, and her grandchildren William James Mullally, Dylan Patrick Mullally, and Luke Joseph Scanlon.

She was preceded in death by her father Joseph Ryder and brother James Joseph Ryder.

To celebrate her life, a blessing service will be held at 2pm on Thursday, October 3 at Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home, 418 South State Street, Clarks Summit. Family and friends are invited to attend and to pay their respects beginning at 1pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hospice of the Sacred Heart.