Joan M. Orton

HOLDEN - Joan M. (Lewin) Orton, 80, formerly of Holden, MA, beloved Mom of Leah and Tara, passed away into her Lord’s arms with her daughters by her side on July 30, 2022, after struggling for two decades with dementia. She was born on a dairy farm in Richville, MN to Erick and Anna Margreta Lewin on November 29, 1941. A twin, and the second youngest of 8, she grew up taking care of chickens, pigs and cows. She loved nature and animals, including many pet cats and the family dog, Benji.

She graduated from Perham High School and St. Cloud University with a BS in Elementary Education. After college, she taught in Colorado with her twin sister, Jan. They both moved to Bad Kreuznach, Germany and taught on the US Army base, where she met and married her former husband, Robert Orton.
She continued teaching as a substitute teacher as she raised her daughters in Colorado and Massachusetts. She then began her 30 year career in social services at Pernet Family Services, Social Security and Elder Services of Worcester.

Her service to community and church was integral to her life. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Holden MA (her second home) for 47 years and recruited for their Crop Walk for 30 years. She taught her daughters how important kindness and helping others was and will be remembered for her caring and generous spirit with love.

She was proud of her Swedish heritage and her birthplace, Minnesota. She loved to dance, ice skate, garden, and bake. She loved the mountains, Camp Calumet on Ossipee Lake and enjoyed traveling around the world and US.

Thank you to her caregivers at St. Patrick’s Manor for their love and compassion for the last 7 years and to the ILC pastors and friends.

She leaves her two daughters, Leah (Bill Hoagland) and Tara Orton, who were her joy and greatest pride; her long-time cherished companion Stanley Zinck, her twin sister, Janice (Lou) Janssen; a brother, Paul Lewin; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Anna Margreta and Erick Lewin; sisters, Joyce Weir, Lily Ann Gosswiller, and Dawn Klement; brother, Weldon Lewin and infant brother, Raymond Lewin.

Visitation will be at 10:00 am on August 27th, 2022 followed by an 11:00 am Celebration of Life service at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Holden MA. Her ashes will be spread at a later date on her family farm in Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Crop Hunger Walk (Holden), dementia research or your local animal shelter. To share a memory or offer an online condolence, please visit www.milesfuneralhome.com