Joan Deveney Lovejoy moved her residency to heaven surrounded by family on Sunday, May 3, 2026, to join her beloved husband, Joe.
The daughter of Cameron Deveney and Ursula Lennox Deveney, Joan was born in Boston and raised in Swampscott. She graduated from Walnut Hill School and Garland Junior College before earning an MBA from Simmons College. Joan built a successful career in finance, working at several firms including Wellington Management, where she was the vice president of institutional sales.
In 1985, she met the man she told friends she wanted to marry, Joseph E. Lovejoy, and fortunately, he felt the same and they were married a little over a year later. Their marriage was a true love story with the highlight being the day their daughter, Deven Lovejoy, arrived.
Joan had a zest for life and lived it to the fullest. She was the consummate people-person and thrived on her deep connections with family and her many dear friends. Her warmth, humor and radiant spirit left nearly everyone smiling and often laughing.
Keeping pace with Joan was no easy task, even for those half her age. Many likened her to a hummingbird for her endless energy and curiosity. Joan loved her sports, from skiing and tennis to golf and, later, pickleball. She was rarely the best one at the sport but she was always the most fun. Swimming was where she truly excelled. She adored her beautiful pool and routinely swam a mile with effortless grace. She was also an avid bridge player who valued camaraderie and friendship far more than the score.
A passionate traveler, Joan explored the world with Joe and Deven and with many close friends. For her, travel was about discovery, learning, and creating lasting memories. It would have been difficult to name a country she had not visited, and no matter the weather, mishaps or challenges along the way, every trip was, in Joan’s words, “fabulous.”
Joan left a lasting impression on all those she encountered on her journey of life. She was irrepressible and found joy in everyday moments, challenges and new experiences and spread that joy to all those around her. She was generous of spirit and always there for her many friends about whom she cared so much. She volunteered at Joslin Diabetes, drawing on her own lifelong experience living with diabetes since the age of 12 to encourage and support newly diagnosed patients. Joan and Deven also volunteered each winter for the Salvation Army, ringing bells to support important charitable causes. She served for many years on the board of Brookwood School in Manchester where she delighted students with her fun-loving nature and enthusiasm.
Joan’s family and friends will miss her deeply, and the world will indeed be a little less fun without her. The memories she created — of adventures, love and laughter — will be everlasting.
Joan is survived by her daughter, Deven Lovejoy of Florida; her stepdaughter, Clare Byrne of Gloucester; her grandchildren, Michaela Soper of Beverly, Olivia Kaneb of Hamilton and Jackson Byrne of Gloucester; and one great-granddaughter Lily Soper of Beverly. She is predeceased by her husband, Joseph Ensign Lovejoy; her brother James Deveney; and her parents, Cameron and Ursula Deveney.
Her memorial service will be held at the St. John Episcopal Church, 705 Hale St., Beverly Farms on Tuesday, June 9, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Joan’s memory may be made to Joslin Diabetes, Boston, MA, Boys and Girls Club of Boston and Proctor Academy. Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot St., Beverly. Information, directions, condolences at campbellfuneral.com.
