Joan Claire (Pinckney) Coleman

WINSLOW – Joan Claire (Pinckney) Coleman died March 14, 2020. She was born May 7, 1934, in Staten Island, N.Y.She attended Hunter College before transferring to Cornell University, from which she graduated in 1956 with a degree in nutrition. Following her marriage to George Coleman she moved to Lawrence, Kansas, where she attained membership in the American Dietetic Association while working in the student union at the University of Kansas.In 1963 she moved to Waterville, where her first undertaking was revision of a diet manual which served all Waterville hospitals. She was employed as a dietitian at Thayer Hospital, where she was director of food service when it merged with Seton Hospital to form Mid-Maine Medical Center. She later became assistant administrator, then assistant to the president. As assistant administrator she introduced several elements of management; she was proudest of adapting Quality Circles to the health industry.She served as president of the Maine Dietetic Association, and declined requests to stand for a national position. She also served on the board of directors which formally merged the Waterville Girls and Boys Clubs.After leaving Mid-Maine she worked at Thomas College, where she organized seminars for their Small Business Institute, introduced Elderhostel programs, and bartered teaching undergraduate courses for taking graduate courses to earn her MBA in 1990. She then worked at the Maine veterans medical center at Togus, beginning as assistant to the chief of nutrition and food service, later becoming chief. Her experience in management techniques led to her inclusion as part of a team that adapted Baldrige management principles to the V.A.’s annual awards. Her last few years at Togus were spent as chief of quality management for the post.Following retirement from the V.A. she turned her attention to a variety of undertakings. She became an avid fly-fisher, travelling all over the state seeking new streams and ponds; that led to fly-tying and the construction of fly rods. She also learned woodworking, wood carving, and wood turning. A life-long gardener, she sought to have something in bloom throughout the summer.Joan was predeceased by her parents John S. and Doris (Hildebrandt) Pinckney. She is survived by three daughters, Sue and husband Thomas Reid, Leigh and husband Alan Burgess, and Beth Ellen and husband James Roberts; grandchildren Caitlin Merithew and husband Harold, Colin Whalen and wife Amelia, Austin Higgins, Samantha MacIntyre, Tess Burgess, Ted Burgess and wife Elicia, and Niklas Burgess and wife Maria; former husband George Coleman; and several cousins, nieces, nephews, and great-grandchildren.A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 20, 2020 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Waterville. Arrangements under the direction and care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan, ME 04976.Memorial gifts maybe made to:Humane SocietyWaterville Area100 Webb Rd.Waterville, ME 04901

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