Joan Marie Lapic, 74, of New Brighton, passed away peacefully on May 23rd, 2026, at Cedar Hill Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Moon. She was born in New Castle on May 10th, 1952, a daughter of Agnes (O’Connor) and Carl Oswald. In addition to her parents, she is survived by her four children: Jeremiah (Ermida) Lapic, Jacob Lapic, Justin Lapic, and Jessica (Chris) Brown; as well as two brothers, Martin and Tom Oswald, her sister, Carleen Rainey and four beloved grandchildren, Connor, Aiden, Elise, and Sofia.

Joan graduated from New Castle High School with its Class of 1970 and earned a Bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a double major in English and Environmental Studies. She began her career as a writer at several newspapers in Michigan before returning to Pennsylvania, where she continued working in journalism while spending every free moment on the river. She devoted her life to nurturing growth — in gardens, in people, and in the hearts of those around her. During her formative years, she explored the wilds of the upper Allegheny River around her father’s river cabin in Emlenton, which instilled in her a deep appreciation for nature. She later renewed her faith and embraced a strong belief in natural living, giving birth to all four of her children at home. She envisioned and helped build a passive solar home in the country, where she homeschooled her four children while mastering raised-bed gardening, beekeeping, raising small animals, growing orchids, and maintaining a greenhouse. She was also a Penn State Master Gardener and herb specialist, Joan volunteered at the local Grange and youth home before becoming the Therapeutic Horticulture Program Coordinator at Glade Run Lutheran Services. There, her lifetime of passions truly bloomed as she combined compassion, knowledge, and reverence for the natural world in her work as a therapist. She was a gifted herbalist and educator who found immense joy in plants, flowers, and the outdoors, and loved teaching others about their healing properties through presentations and hands-on learning. Through her work and gentle spirit, she inspired many to discover the beauty, comfort, and connection found in nature.

A memorial gathering will be held for friends and family on Friday, May 29th from 4 p.m. until the time of a Memorial Service at 6 p.m. at the J&J Spratt Funeral Home, Inc., 1612 Third Avenue, New Brighton, who was in charge of her arrangements.