Joanne Dennery, kindergarten teacher

Joanne Milner Dennery, 84, of Mantua, a Gloucester City kindergarten teacher for more than 25 years, died of complications from Alzheimer's disease Saturday, Jan. 16 at Inspira Medical Center Woodbury.

A 1949 graduate of what is now Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School, Mrs. Dennery won the Miss Gloucester County Pageant.

Twice. Not only in 1949, but in 1950 as well.

"She did it in the fall of 1949, while she was in her freshman year" at what is now Rowan University, daughter Eileen Mannion said.

And as a sophomore, she did it again.

For the spotlight? "For education, for scholarship money," her daughter said.

"She also worked in the summers," Mannion said, work "that helped her to pay for college." For at least two summers, she worked at an Ocean City boarding hotel.

"She would have the same family for the full week that they were there. She loved it," Mannion said.

"She would do breakfast," she said, "and they would come back for dinner. So she would have time during the day to be on the beach."

At New Jersey State Teachers College at Glassboro, she graduated in 1953, and taught first grade at Monmouth Street School in Gloucester City for a year before marrying Edward Dennery in 1954.

She left to begin to raise her family, and returned in the 1960s to teach at Mary Ethel Costello School, Broadway School, and Highland Park School, retiring in the 1990s.

Dorothy Yunghans, her principal at Broadway and at Highland Park, recalled her as "a vivacious person, and it translated to her students every day."

Yunghans noted that "she had two sessions a day; sometimes over 50 children she saw a day."

And "in those days, we didn't have classroom aides, and she did it by herself."

What that meant, the retired principal said, was that "she really projected to the children to love learning."

Besides her daughter and husband, Mrs. Dennery is survived by sons John and Patrick, a sister, and five grandchildren.

A visitation was set from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23, at St. Mary's Church, 426 Monmouth St., Gloucester City, before a 1 p.m. Funeral Mass there. Interment is to be private.

Donations may be sent to the Alzheimer's Association, Suite 310, 3 Eves Dr., Marlton, N.J 08053.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mccannhealey.com.

wnaedele@phillynews.com

610-313-8134@WNaedele