Joan Stanley Wood, 88, of Manchester, NH, and long-time resident of Bedford, passed away on May 27, 2026. Born at Beverly Hospital on November 11, 1937, she was the only child of Wilbur Aiken and Dorothy (Harvey) Stanley of Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. She grew up in Manchester, MA, graduating from Story High School in 1955. She was a Food & Nutrition Major at Garland Junior College in Boston, graduating in 1958.

After graduation, Joan was the Assistant Dietitian at Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge and then Assistant Manager of Food Service at The Pioneer, YWCA in Boston. Before her marriage, she worked for the Boston Gas Home Service Department.

Joan met her husband, John P. Wood, in Boston and they were married on April 6, 1963. After the birth of their first three children, they moved from Weymouth to Topsfield, MA, and Joan became the assistant dietitian at Hathorne School for Special Needs at Danvers State Hospital. In 1976, the family, which now included four children, moved to Bedford, NH.

Joan was very active in community groups and served as president of the Bedford Newcomer’s Club and was a lifetime member of the Bedford Woman’s Club. She obtained her real estate broker license and worked for several firms in southern NH. For six years, she was the Director of Social Services for the Salvation Army in Manchester. Her final job before retirement brought her back to her training as a dietitian. She worked at UNH Cooperative Extension in Goffstown as part of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.

In her retirement, she continued to serve others by volunteering as a Granite State Ambassador and driving cancer patients to medical appointments with the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program.

Joan’s greatest joy was her family and she treasured every moment she shared with them. Some of her happiest memories were made at the island in Maine, on family vacations, or during the holidays when the Wood clan all gathered together. She delighted in each of her grandchildren, celebrating every accomplishment and offering encouragement and unconditional love that made each grandchild feel special.

Joan was predeceased by her husband of over 50 years, John, in 2019. Left to mourn her passing are her four children and their spouses: Sarah and David Langdon of Granby, CT; Charles and Sheryl Wood of Hollis; Susan Nawn of Manchester; and Douglas and Lisa Wood of Goffstown. She will be greatly missed by her five grandchildren: Thomas Langdon, Robert Wood, William Langdon, Tucker Wood, and MacKenzie Wood.

The family will be holding a private celebration of life at a later date. There will be no public calling hours or funeral services. 

Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH, Manchester. To view Joan's Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com.