Joan Mancuso, DuPont Co. retiree

Joan Mancuso, 85, beloved wife, mother and long-time resident of Lewes, passed away Monday, July 4, 2016, of natural causes. 

Born in Elmira, N.Y., in 1931, Joan was the daughter of the late Donald S. Cooper and Edna Overbeck Cooper. Joan grew up in the Wilmington area, graduating from Conrad High School, and then attending Simmons College in Boston.

After a long career with the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Joan retired with her husband, C. Michael Mancuso, to Lewes.

Joan is survived by her loving husband, Michael, and by the children and grandchildren who already miss her so much, including her daughters Amy Wyatt of Lolo, Mont., Christine Wenker of Bishopville, Md., and Deborah Gouert of Milton; stepsons Mark Mancuso of New Castle, Michael Mancuso of New Castle; and stepdaughter Manette Mancuso of Palmer Lake, Colo. Her grandchildren are Lindsay LaRue of Milwaukee, Wis., Shane VanSciver of Dewey Beach, Mollie Montgomery of Paris Island, S.C., Casey Wenker of Rochester, Minn., and Charles Gouert of Newark. Preceding Joan in death was her dear grandson James Ryan VanSciver.

After moving to Sussex County, Joan re-connected with many of her friends from Conrad High School, and she remained devoted to those friends and to the new friends she found here. An avid gamer, Joan was active in bridge club and played Mahjong, Scrabble and many other games. She also enjoyed reading and could often be found whiling away an afternoon with a tough jigsaw puzzle.

Cheerful and loving by nature, Joan brought joy to those who were close to her and was especially fond of holidays, keeping family traditions alive year after year and taking every opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments and triumphs of her family and friends.

Joan set an example of hard work and sacrifice throughout her life, working full-time for decades while raising three daughters, always putting the well-being of others before her own. Her spirit will live on in the memories of the many people who loved her.