Joan Morehouse

Joan Morehouse, 89, passed away peacefully on July 19, 2025 with her daughters Nancy and Kate and loving cat Cosmo at her side. Joan was in the comfort of her home with the majestic views of Overlook Mountain overseeing her beautiful fields where horses once graced the land. Born Joan Bruce MacLeod on April 1, 1936 in Massachusetts, the daughter of Annabelle (nee Bruce) and Donald MacLeod, Joan grew up during years of the Great Depression and through WWII. Her father died in 1945, creating an uminaginable hardship for Joan, her sister and their mother. Joan first saw television when family gathered around a small television set to watch the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1955.

Joan MacLeod graduated from Bouve-Boston school in 1957 with a degree in Physical Education. She went on to teach at Onteora. Joan met Dan Morehouse in 1959 as they were both with the Red Cross. They married on October 29, 1960. In 1962, they built a beautiful home in Woodstock where they raised their daughters. Joan was involved with the Woodstock riding club and served many years as president of the organization. Her horse Nikki (Dunvegans St. Nicholas) was with her more than 33 years.

Once the daughters were old enough to be alone at night, Joan went back to work, this time as a dispatcher for the Woodstock Police / Fire Department and joined Dan in their work as EMT’s and became paramedics in Woodstock following other medics… Carol Sas, Dave Holden, and Jodie Rossitz. Joan worked with Mobile Life and Diaz Ambulance for many years including her tenure as Assistant Manager. Joan was an active medic from 1979-1999.

Following the death of Dan in 2001, Joan once again went into volunteer work, this time with Guiding Eyes for the Blind. She was a puppy raiser for 17 years, worked with 14 pups. Most of “her” puppies went on to be successful guide dogs. Her first puppy, Cutlass, decided that he would “fail” a test - so he came to live with Mom. They took care of each other at just the right time in her life.

Joan was predeceased by her parents Donald (1945) and Annabelle (1999). Her loving husband Dan passed in 2001, her sister Ann Graves and husband Earl, in-laws Bill (Sisco) Morehouse, Bob (Helen) Morehouse, Eleanor Morehouse, Marge (Joe) Kingsley, Carol (Steve) Waligurski, Herb Morehouse. Joan is survived by her daughters Nancy (Craig) Reynolds of Colorado and Kate (Anthony) SanAntonio of Kingston, grandsons Dillon (CO) and Steven (FL) and Sister in-law Lois Morehouse. Nieces and nephews Julia (John) Weindorf, Andy (Sabrina) Graves, all of Michigan; Mike Kingsley, Wayne (Karen) Waligurski, Stephen (Maureen) Waligurski, Ellie Waligurski, Bill Morehouse, Carrie Waligurski (Alan), Lisa (Phil) Malone, Lori (John) Decker, Wendy (Steve) Helsley, Rick Morehouse and many great-nieces and nephews.

We wish to thank some very special people…. Carol Sas, Deb Sprenger, Christen Wengert, Sue Reynolds, Lynne Sherbondy for your unwavering friendship, caring and love through many decades and those through more recent years. Huge thanks to Hudson Valley Hopsice for your care and support. Especially January and Jill. You are all so very amazing.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401, where family and friends may visit on Friday, August 1, 2025 from 4pm to 7pm. The funeral service will take place at 11am on Saturday August 2, 2025 at Woodstock Reformed Church, 16 Tinker St, Woodstock, NY. Burial will follow in Hurley Cemetery. The family will be hosting a reception at the Woodstock Co. 1 Firehouse, 242 Tinker St., Woodstock, NY, after the interment.

As per Joans wishes, in lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to Woodstock Reformed Church, 16 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY 12498; or Guiding Eyes Puppy Raising Program at GuidingEyes.org A tribute for Joan can be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for her family.