Joan Dorothy LaFalce

LaFalce, Joan, 93 of Mesa, Arizona passed away peacefully at Hospice of the Valley's Dobson Home on August 28, 2025, with family at her side. She was born in Staten Island, NY on March 13, 1932. Joan was the younger of two children born to William W. TenEyck and Dorothy M. TenEyck. She was a graduate of Kingston High School class of 1949 and State Teachers College at Potsdam, where she received high honors and met her husband John, a fellow vocal music graduate. In the summer of 1953, they together performed the roles of Musetta and Marcello in Puccini's La Boheme. A skilled mezzo-soprano, Joan was a soloist with the college's Crane Chorus and Collegiate Singers. She was also a member of the Clionian Sorority and president of Women's Student Council and went on to become a supervisor of music at Hyde Park Schools. In 1954, Joan appeared as a talent scout on the Arthur Godfrey show, where she showcased the incredible talent of her husband and his brothers, who won the top prize. A young woman in her early twenties, she was shy but sharp as a tack, and she had Arthur Godfrey in stitches with her quick wit. As a music teacher, Joan ended up working alongside her husband at Arlington High School in Poughkeepsie. Not only did she teach music classes and accompany the chorus that John directed, but she also accompanied many students over the years on their auditions for a coveted place in the New York All-State festivities. Joan performed as a soloist in various musical productions throughout the Hudson Valley and was a regular member of the prestigious Cappella Festiva Chamber Choir under the direction of Jameson Marvin. In her retirement years, she enjoyed both performing as a member of the ASU Choral Union, where she continued her passion for singing, and volunteering her time at the Mesa Arts Center with her husband. Above all else, Joan was a loving wife, incredible mother to her five children, a proud grandmother and great grandmother, and the strongest woman we've known. Joan is survived by her children Linda Bargmann (Brett), John LaFalce, Diane Wells (Scott), Maureen Mackey, and Rene Schlimm (Karl), as well as her nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Her memory will forever remain in our hearts. A private family graveside service and interment will be held.