Joan M. Lechner

April 28, 1928 — January 13, 2018

Joan M. Lechner (née Joan Camp Mathewson) died in the loving presence of her sister-in-law, Patricia Lechner Nahas, in Newtown, Pa., on January 13, 2018. She is especially mourned by her brother, James Hall Mathewson of Scotts Valley, Calif.; her sister, Ann Mathewson Brady of Telluride, Colo.; and Patricia Lechner Nahas of Austin, Texas, sister of her husband, Bernard J. Lechner, who predeceased her; and their families.

Joan was born in Norwalk, Conn., the eldest child of Robert Hendry Mathewson, one of the founders of the guidance counseling profession, and Margaret Gertrude Hall, a hospital dietitian in the early years of that specialty. Her father’s career took the family to West Hartford, Conn., in 1936, and to Winchester, Mass., in 1945. In 1949, Joan earned a BS degree from Tufts University in mathematics (while also honing her skill in playing bridge).

Joan moved with her family to Westchester County, N.Y., when her father was appointed a dean at CUNY. It was there that Joan met Bernie Lechner, the love of her life, at a square dance. She loved to dance, and Bernie was the sound engineer. Bernie’s pursuit of a college degree, heartily encouraged by Joan, was interrupted by the draft and Korean War. However, they married in November, 1953, shortly before Bernie was assigned to Karlsruhe, Germany, as an electronics technician. Joan followed and they spent a year in Germany before returning to the Bronx, N.Y., where Bernie completed his studies, earning a BSEE from Columbia University in 1957. When Bernie accepted a position at RCA Sarnoff Laboratories in Princeton, they moved to New Jersey, living for a short time in Trenton before moving to Princeton. They remained in Princeton until 2012, when they moved to Pennswood Village in Newtown, Pa.

Joan had a keen and curious mind, and the seeds planted early in Joan’s life bore fruition throughout. Her hobbies included sailing, square dancing, music, sewing, plants and gardening, bridge, and especially cooking. It was in Conn. that Joan learned to sail, honing her skill on the Mathewson family boat, a Seagull-class sloop hand built by her grandfather. Joan taught Bernie to sail and they owned a small Sunfish, large enough for two adults but small enough to transport. They enjoyed sailing on the lakes and rivers in the northeast and off the shore of Cape Cod. The Mathewson family children have fond memories of family vacations in cottages and at camp sites on the Cape in their early years, and in later years at the summer cottage in Eastham township where Joan’s parents moved in retirement. Joan’s love of square dancing lured Bernie into learning to dance, and they both enjoyed square dancing in Princeton and also at various national events. Joan took prominent volunteer positions in promoting and planning events for the Princeton Squares, and she and Bernie often hosted visiting callers. Joan’s love of music reached far beyond dance music. Music had been a part of Joan’s upbringing as her Grandmother Gertrude had been a church musician and piano teacher. With Bernie, Joan enjoyed attending performances in Philadelphia and New York City, as well as listening to their large library of classical music. And Joan’s talent for making her own square dance outfits led her to other endeavors, making decorative items for her home and special gifts, such as Christmas vests, for her nieces and nephews. Her artistic eye tied in beautifully with her love of plants (another family heritage) and gardening. Along with her green thumb, she was able to create islands of beauty, whether inside or outside, by arranging plants and flowers in unique ways that enhanced the environment. A woman of many talents, Joan took pride in her kitchen and ability to entertain family and guests. She is remembered by her family for the many wonderful meals she prepared and recipes she has passed along. Learning from her mother, she was skilled at taking a basic recipe and, by adjusting the herbs and spices and other flavorings, creating something both memorable and nutritious. Since she and Bernie travelled widely, including one trip that took them around the world, her experience with food crossed many tastes and cultures.

Professionally, Joan was a gifted computer programmer. She worked for a time for Applied Logic in Princeton, and also as an independent consultant. And after Bernie retired from GE and began work as a consultant, Joan was his entire administrative support. Earlier in his career, she was the person behind the scenes, providing support for many of his professional volunteer activities and the events of the organizations in which he held various offices. She played an especially important role in the early days of the Society for Information Display (SID). And, as an independent and forward-thinking woman, she supported The League of Women Voters.

Carrying on her own family tradition of caring for the elderly, Joan cared for her parents and Bernie’s parents in their last years. And, fortunately, in the last years of her life, short term memory loss did not compromise Joan’s ability to recall all the wonderful people and events of her own life.

Predeceased by her loving husband of over 60 years, Bernie, Joan is survived by her brother, Jim; her sister, Ann; and nine nieces and nephews: Shelley Mathewson Phillips, Carol Mathewson, and Margaret Mathewson, Sharon Brady Gwynn and Sean Brady and, through marriage, by Margaret Nahas Fitzgerald, Michael Nahas, Brian Nahas, and Frances Nahas, children of her sister-in-law, Pat, and her husband, Joe.

As Joan made many donations over the years to various charities, the family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to your favorite charity.