Joan D. Pflugheber

Joan D.  Pflugheber, 93 of, Dexter, NY, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2024 at the Samaritan Summit Village where she had resided the last two months.

Calling hours will be held 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 9th at the Johnson Funeral Home in Dexter, NY, with a funeral service following at 3 p.m. at the funeral home.  Burial will be held in the Sackets Harbor Military Cemetery at a later date.

She was born February 2, 1931 daughter of Arnold and Dorothy (Potter) Hansen.  Joan graduated in 1949 from Milburn High School in New Jersey, then St. Lawrence University where she graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Psychology.

While at St. Lawrence she met Edward Pflugheber whom she married on December 23, 1952 at the Wyoming Presbyterian Church in Millburn, NJ.   The couple moved to Newport, Rhode Island where her husband was an officer candidate in the Navy then later moved to Watertown, where her husband continued his military career in the Navy Reserves and joined his father operating the family business, Town Motors. 

Joan was a homemaker and raised her five daughters who were very active and successful swimmers.  She volunteered with the Brownies and the Girls Scout troop at Sherman Street School. When the children got older she began substitute teaching in Watertown, and in 1966 she began a nursery school in her home (New Day Nursery), which quickly grew and moved to the basement of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church. 

Joan found her passion in child care, she went on to take many courses on child care and education from Potsdam. 

Joan became the founder of New Day Childrens Center, the first licensed child care center in the city of Watertown.  The need for extra classroom space saw the daycare center expand into the Asbury United Methodist Church in September of 1984.  Unfortunately, in December 1984, All Souls Church burned down and the child care center was fully moved to Asbury.  

Joan, as the executive director, was asked by Jefferson Community College to establish a sister center for the students and staff of the college. She designed, outfitted, and staffed the new Center. In 1992, New Day became the first center in the area to receive the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation, which both centers maintained until she retired in 1996. 

Joan was the founder of the Jeff-Lewis Childcare Council and of the Daycare Directors Association. She received an Alumni Citation from St. Lawrence University for community service in 1993.

Joan was a member of Watertown Kiwanis where she was president for a year and a board member for many years.  She was a member of All Souls Universalist Church.  She enjoyed painting watercolors, gardening, cooking, wildlife and traveling. 

Among her survivors are her three daughters, Carol (Robert) Puels of Dexter, NY; Ellen Pflugheber of Watertown, NY; Jill Pflugheber of Georgetown, KY, Kentucky. Son-in-law Robert “Bob” Wells, Clayton, NY; 12 grandchildren, Casey, Dean, Maura, Jon, Jay, Caitlin, Robert, Molly, Jacob, Sara, Alex and Simone; twelve great grandchildren, Violet, Jackson, Henry, Christopher, Brooklyn, Sydney, Wyatt, Brynn, Porter, Maia, Amy and Evelyn; two sisters, Phyllis Edgcomb, Cape Cod,  Virginia Hansen, Adams Center.

Besides her parents she is predeceased by her beloved husband, Edward Pflugheber, two daughters Marilyn Bradshaw and Gina Wells, and sister Mary Louise Caldwell. 

Donations may be made to the SPCA Water St., Watertown, NY 13601.

Online condolences may be made at www.dexterfuneralhome.com

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