Joan Marie (Spillane) Taggart

Joan Marie (Spillane) Taggart

Given by God: March 9, 1940

Returned to God: March 27, 2024

All her life of 84 years Joan only wanted to serve the Lord.

Her apostolic life revolved around her Catholic faith and her family. She attended Mass daily and was an active member of the Legion of Mary for 63 years, and a long-time Praetorian member. Her Legion work for over 50 years was as a volunteer at Norristown State Hospital, where each week she assisted the Catholic Chaplin by visiting with patients and bringing them to Sunday Mass.

In the Legion she met her husband of 58 years, and they were wed on the birthday of the Legion in 1965.

During the year before their marriage, on a Legion trip to Dublin, Joan met the founder of the Legion of Mary, Servant of God Frank Duff, and she was appointed and served as Concilium Extension Worker to Northeast Mexico (1964-1965). She corresponded with Frank Duff until his death in 1980.

Joan later served as Legion council officer in various positions including President of the Norristown Comitium. For the past 15 years she volunteered at Maria Legionis magazine in the subscriptions department.

Joan was also employed in Customer Service for the Honeywell Corporation.

Joan was a homemaker, raising five children. She sewed, making clothing for her children, husband and herself. She learned to knit, crochet, cane chairs and upholster. She loved baking, gardening, the outdoors, flowers, birds and hiking. And many of these she passed on to her children and grandchildren.

She was a regular on the Visitation BVM parish ‘No Greater Love’ Garden crew.

Over a 17-year period she ‘section hiked’ over 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail thru 13 states from Georgia to Maine, using the trail name ‘Tagg-along’.

Joan was the middle child – something she loved to point out - of 3 children of John F. Spillane and Marie Kollmar. Her father founded six J.F.Spillane five-and-ten stores. It’s interesting that this middle child died very peacefully at the exact middle of the week – noon on Wednesday of Holy Week - while her family was praying the 3rd Glorious Mystery of the Rosary at her bedside – she who had a special devotion to the Holy Spirit.

Joan made her True Devotion Consecration at the age of twenty and was an avid spiritual reader. Among her favorites: the writings of Frank Duff and St. Louis de Montfort.

She also liked ‘how-to-do-it’ books and blogs. She took a decluttering course and spent the last three years making her home nice for her family. She took a writing course, submitting several articles for publication, one titled ‘First Impressions’ about blue jays.

Her family and friends prayed Joan into Heaven.

She leaves her husband Don, children Beth (Tom) Rutledge, Mary (Mike) Lucas, Donna (Tim) Madel, Bill Taggart, and John Taggart. Sixteen grandchildren: Miriah (Justin) Malenich, Laura Rutledge, Luke (Laura) Rutledge, Thomas (Miranda) Rutledge, Jake Rutledge, Natalie Lucas, Don Lucas, Melissa (Kevin) Collins, Erica Lucas, Emily Lucas, Nicholas Lucas, John Lucas, Atticus Madel, Samuel Madel, Ashley (Alika) Lauer, Amber Ludwig. Seven great-grandchildren: Athena, Fraya, Waylon, Kit, Josie, Jay, Meadow. Her sister Ann (Jim, deceased) Ganley, and brother John (Katherine) Spillane. She was a beloved Aunt to many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Arrangements: Viewing 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Tuesday, April 2nd at Bacchi Funeral Home, 805 DeKalb St. Bridgeport PA 19405. Viewing 9:00 to 10:45 am followed by Mass at 11:00 am, Wednesday, April 3rd at Visitation BVM Catholic Church, (Upper Church) 196 N Trooper Rd. Norristown PA 19403. Legion Prayers and Rosary will be recited at 10:00 am. Interment at St. Augustine Cemetery in King of Prussia PA  immediately following her mass.

In lieu of flowers, donations could be made in Joan’s name to Maria Legionis Magazine, 5109 N Broad St Philadelphia PA 19141.