JoAnn Rita (Paquette) Durand, aged 82, of Rexford, NY, died peacefully after a long illness on May 15, 2025, with family by her side. JoAnn was born March 23, 1943, in Nashua, NH, to Ella Rita (Gagnon) Paquette and Maurice Onesime Paquette. She graduated from Saint Louis de Gonzague High School in 1960. In June 1968, she married Paul Thomas Durand and adopted his sons, Roger and Daniel. In 1969, their son Michael Durand completed their family.

JoAnn worked for many years in data entry at IMPCO, Enable Software, Fleet Bank, the State Bank of Albany, and Cohoes Manufacturing Outlets. In 1995, she joined the New York State Department of Health, AIDS Institute, where she worked until she retired in 2012. She had lived in the Capital Region since 1978, in Latham Cohoes, and moved to Coburg Village in Rexford in 2017, to be closer to her family.

JoAnn was a dedicated friend- once she knew you, you were her friend for life. She enjoyed dancing, knitting, music, and Hallmark Mysteries. She loved the evening entertainment at Coburg Village- musical groups, movies, dancers, and local high school performers. She spent all her holidays with family, and was adopted into her daughter-in-law Francesca's family for many celebrations for 30 years. JoAnn could be found taking long drives looking for the perfect diner, spending time with her granddaughters Madeleine and Abby, and visiting her brothers in Maine and Florida.

She is predeceased by her parents, her husband Paul in 1986, and her son Daniel in 2012. She is survived by her brothers Maurice Paquette and his wife Joanne, Gerard Paquette and wife Susan; her son, Michael Durand and his wife Francesca of Rexford, NY, son, Roger Durand and his wife Michelle of New Hampshire; her grandchildren, Madeleine and Abigail Durand, Brittany Durand and Kayla Andres, and Greg, Philip, and Paul Durand; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to her doctors, Shaker Place Rehab Center, and the nurses and staff at Saratoga Hospital for the kind and comforting care that they provided for her since February.

Services will be held on Thursday, May 22, at Catricala Funeral Home, 1597 Route 9, Clifton Park, NY. The wake will be held from 1-3 pm, with a service immediately following at 3 pm. Private burial will take place in June.