Joan was born August 2, 1929 in the Bronx to John and Helen (Sanchez) Kraft. She attended Evander Childs High School in the Bronx and was proud to graduate in three and a half years. In 1952 she married John Donald Wemmlinger, also of the Bronx. In 1957 they relocated to Yorktown Heights N.Y. and later moves to Connecticut and Long Island followed. John predeceased her in 1996, and in 2013 she relocated to Brandall Estates in Linwood, New Jersey.

Joan loved the ocean, and family vacations to Long Island led to a summer house in Hampton Bays, which eventually became her permanent residence. One of her proudest accomplishments was solely finding the land and overseeing the construction of her final Hampton Bays home. For years she enjoyed sitting on the beach of Great Peconic Bay with her friends and neighbors. She also loved to travel, and enjoyed trips all over the United States, and to England, Ireland and Israel.

She is survived by her children and their spouses, Joanne and Thomas Gahr, Raymond Wemmlinger and Michael Meyers, John Wemmlinger, Anne Marie Wemmlinger and C.A. Anderson, Robert and Kimberley Wemmlinger, grandchildren Allison and Nick Corley, Kevin Gahr, Jack, Carly and Sean Wemmlinger, step-grandson Michael Meyers, and great grandsons Parker and Ryan Corley.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Rosalie's Catholic Church in Hampton Bays, NY on Monday June 12th at 1pm with visitation preceding from 10am -12 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association (link - Joan Wemmlinger)