Joan Kirby Bennett was born in Boston on May 22, 1941, beloved daughter of Edward L. Kirby and Margaret (Finnegan) Kirby. She attended grammar and high school at the former St. Aidan School in the Cottage Farm district of Brookline.

In her time there, St. Aidan's nuns still offered elocution class, which Joan embraced with her natural zest. "Homework" often included staged speeches before a family audience. Diligence in her newfound skill followed through all of her school years and further training at the former Leland Powers School in the museum district of the Fenway, which included roles in several summer theater productions.

Joan's professional life spanned three mini-careers of about a dozen years each. Her first venture was in radio broadcasting as an on-air personality at a Middletown, CT., station, presenting news and commentary on cultural events. "The Voice" earned requests from advertisers to read their commercials.

Next came agency advertising in the Back Bay, after which she was recruited to become office manager of the family law firm in Boston.

In retirement, Joan remained actively engaged in organizing and hosting the firm's many professional and charitable events (including her brother's two-term presidency of the Charitable Irish Society of Boston) where she was a vibrant and well-remembered presence.

Joan was broadly read and a reliable source for what to read and people to meet. Her go-to music choice remained to the end the jazz piano and vocal repertoire of Bobby Short. Any New York visit was coordinated with Mr. Short's performances in the Carlisle Hotel lounge (a party of family and friends was recruited to attend a rare Boston performance by Mr. Short at the Longwood Cricket Club).

A perennial family Christmas treat of Joan's was the Santa Claus telephone call from the North Pole. No one ever tried to dissuade the children from their total belief in "The Voice"

In her recent residence years at Goddard House in Brookline, Joan enjoyed new friends and performance in House skits.

Joan is survived by her son Keith E. Bennett and his wife Ferzana, brother Edward L. Kirby Jr. and his wife Dr. Maria Falzon Kirby, her nephews Edward L. Kirby III and his wife Melissa, Martin C. Gorman, Edward Gorman and his wife Robin, her nieces Kathleen Gorman and Mary Beth Gorman, and many loving grandnieces and nephews.

Funeral from the Bell O'Dea Funeral Home, 376 Washington Street. Brookline, Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Lawrence church, Chestnut Hill at 10 o' clock. Visiting hours Friday 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.