Joanne E. (Harding) L'Heureux

GLOUCESTER - Joanne E. (Harding) L’Heureux, 81 of Gloucester, beloved wife of the late Paul L’Heureux, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Care One at Essex Park in Beverly.

Born in Gloucester, she was the daughter of the late Russell and Ruth (Gabry) Harding. She was raised and educated in Gloucester and was a graduate of Gloucester High School Class of 1963. Joanne continued her education at the Addison Gilbert School of Nursing where she received her Licensed Practical Nursing degree.

Joanne dedicated her life to caring for others, demonstrated by her career as an LPN. Her compassion and skill as a nurse made a significant impact on the lives she touched. She was well respected in the nursing community as well as with her patients. Joanne worked throughout Cape Ann and the Northshore, most notably at Den Mar Nursing Home in Rockport.

Her kindness and compassion extended beyond her professional life, as she was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, being surrounded by family was what gave Joanne her greatest joy. She enjoyed gardening and was an active member for many years at Wesley United Methodist Church in Gloucester. Joanne will be forever remembered for her unwavering strength, resilience and love and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Surviving Joanne are her children, Scott Merchant and his wife Karen of Gloucester, and Darrin Merchant and his wife Lisa of Gloucester, and her daughter, Dawn Merklin of Enterprise, AL, her sisters, Carol Skelley of Salem and Jean Jelinek and her husband Tom of Centre, AL, and her brother Rick Harding and his wife Diana of Gloucester, her 7 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

ARRANGENTS: Services will be held at a later date. Assisting the family with the arrangements is O’Donnell Cremations – Funerals – Celebrations, 84 Washington Sq., (at Salem Common) SALEM. Expression of sympathy may be made in Joanne’s memory to Care Dimension, 75 Sylvan St., Suite 102B, Danvers, MA 01923 - caredimensions.org . To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.