IN MEMORIAM: Joan Ann Nydam, 74;

Nurse Was Trained As Organist, Pianist

ONEONTA – Joan Ann Nydam, 74, a former nurse and accomplished organist and pianist, passed away Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017, with her daughter, Lisa by her side, at Hampshire House Adult Home.

She was born April 15, 1943, in Paterson, N.J., the daughter of the late Govert and Anna (Ackerman) Warnet.

Joan graduated from Eastern Christian High School and continued her studies to become a LPN at Bergen Pines, Paramus, N.J.

For several years she was a nurse at Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, N.J., until the birth of her children and she stayed home to raise her two daughters, Lisa and Lori.
On May 20, 1967, Joan married Ryan Nydam in Wyckoff, N.J. Ryan predeceased her on Nov. 13, 2010.

Joan’s love of music began at an early age. She studied the organ under Virgil Fox. She played many weddings (her first one at the age of 13) and funerals. She was an organ and piano teacher and taught many children how to play. For 23 years, Joan was the church organist at Hawthorne Gospel Church, Hawthorne, N.J. But what brought Joan the greatest joy was spending time with her family, especially her granddaughters, Emily and Julie.

She was a member of the Wyckoff Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.
Joan is survived by her two daughters, Lisa and Daniel Weite of Oneonta and Lori and Kevin Vanderaa of Hawthorne, N.J.; and two granddaughters, Emily and Julie Weite of Oneonta.
She was predeceased by her son, Ryan Jr.; and her brother, Albert Warnet.

Calling hours will be 5 to 8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 9, at the Bookhout Funeral Home, 357 Main St., Oneonta. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 10, in the Ouleout Valley Cemetery, Franklin.

For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to either the Hampshire House Adult Home Activities Fund, 1846 County Highway 48, Oneonta, NY 13820 or Catskill Area Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 1 Birchwood Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820, in memory of Joan Ann Nydam.

Condolences to Joan’s family may be made online at www.bookhoutfuneralhome.com.

Funeral arrangements are by the Bookhout Funeral Home of Oneonta.