Joan Kennedy Bakken, 86, of Branford, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 15, 2019 at The Guilford House with her family by her side. She was born in Norwich on September 15, 1932 and was the daughter of the late George A. and Marie Heibel Kennedy Jr. Joan attended Norwich Free Academy where she was in the choir, in the marching band and played on the basketball team. After high school she had worked as a secretary at UCONN for many years, was a head cashier at Backus Hospital for 24 years until her retirement and was also a volunteer at Backus Hospital and Connecticut Hospice, Branford. She was a member of the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corp. in Baltic, Connecticut. Mother of Debra (Andrew) Morrison, Bruce (Carla Hogan) Bakken and Sandra (Carmen) DelVecchio. Grandmother of Corrine and Ashley Morrison, Joshua Bakken, Brittney and Alexis DelVecchio. Sister of Shelia Reguin and the late Jack Kennedy and Marcia Chabot.
Services will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to CT Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington, CT 06111 or the Wounded Warriors Project for Veterans, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 6675 . The North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue have been entrusted with the arrangements.