The funeral for Joan S. Buell, 72, Collins Street, will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Lowville Baptist Church with the Rev. Everett F. Reed, pastor, officiating. Spring burial will be in Beaches Bridge Cemetery.

Mrs. Buell died Sunday March 1, 2009 at her home, under the care of family, friends and Lewis County Hospice.

Calling hours will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Sundquist Funeral Home, 7676 N. State St. The Lewis County Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6912 Auxiliary will hold a service at 2 p.m. during calling hours.

Mrs. Buell was a waitress and worked in the cafeteria at Beaver River and Lowville schools. She worked with her daughter for Headliner Beauty Salon out of her home with her daughter, and later worked for Kraft Manufacturing.

Born March 3, 1936, in the town of Watson, daughter of George and Grace Mae Sullivan Bailey, she started school at Tuckers Corners, a one-room school house in the town of Watson, and graduated in 1954 from Lowville Free Academy and in 1981 from LaPonto's School of Cosmetology, Watertown.

She married Blair R. Buell on June 2, 1984, at their home, with the Rev. Susan Crane, pastor of Lowville Baptist Church, officiating. A previous marriage to Ralph Thenes ended in divorce.

Mrs. Buell taught herself how to play the fiddle and formed her first band, "The Bailey Band," with her family, and in later years, joined "Fiddling Friends," who currently play for senior citizens, nursing homes, hospitals and ARC. She was a member and former secretary of Black River Fiddlers Association and board member of New York State Old Time Fiddlers Association.

Mrs. Buell was a member of Lowville Baptist Church, where she served as deacon and secretary, and a lifetime member of Lewis County Memorial VFW Post 6912 Auxiliary. She enjoyed crocheting, learning the computer, reading and playing cards.

Surviving besides her husband are three daughters and their husbands, Brenda and William Dish, Lowville, Connie and William Arceneaux, Houston, Texas, and Bonnie and James Love, Fairfield, Calif.; a sister, Bea Fahey, Lowville; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Clifford Bailey, Lowville, Clayton and Anne Bailey, North Western, and Vernon and Cheryl Bailey, Glenfield; seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

A daughter, Rhonda Stella, five sisters, Josephine Gingerich, Beverly Hotchkiss, Clara Blair, Joyce Turck and Geraldine "Geri" Levesque, and two brothers, Wayne and Bernard "Bud" Bailey, died before her.

Donations may be made to Friends of Lewis County Hospice, P.O. Box 266, Lowville, N.Y. 13367, or Lowville Baptist Church, 7627 N. State St., Lowville.

Watertown Daily Times