Ms. Joanne Megivern Nelson

July 4, 2016

Joanne Megivern Nelson, a resident of Augusta, Georgia died Monday the 4th of July at Westwood Nursing Home. Joanne was born in 1940 in Sidney, New York to Stephen and Santina Megivern, She was raised in Cortland where she was graduated from St. Mary's High School. Joanne received a Bachelor of Arts from The College of New Rochelle in 1962. Joanne taught elementary school English class and worked as a book editor for Houghton Mifflin in the 1960s in Boston. In a career shift in 1983, she returned to school at Southern Technical University in Marietta, Georgia, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Programming, and was honored as valedictorian of her class. Joanne subsequently worked for many years for defense industry magnates including the Tybrin Corporation. She retired from this work in 2006 to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Joanne loved travel and intellectual pursuits. Her capstone adventure was a several week tour through Eastern Europe and Turkey, where she reveled in the juxtaposition of cultures at the cradle of Western Civilization. She is survived by her two sons, Eric and Paul, her daughter-in-law Sara, her two brothers Steve and John Megivern, and her three grandchildren Devon, Alex, and Brooke. Memorial gifts may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) at http://www.uusc.org/ or by calling (617) 868-6600. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday July 12, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Riccardi Funeral Home 69 N. Main St., Cortland, N.Y. 13045. Prayers of committal will follow in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Cortland, N.Y. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.riccardifuneralhome.com