Joanne M. Alban-Hanschell died at Southampton Care Center on Sunday, July 9, 2017, of cancer, which was diagnosed four years ago.
Born August 7, 1954, she was raised in the Bronx. She attended schools, P.S. 73, the Academy of Mount St. Ursula in Bedford Park, and Fordham University, earning a bachelor’s degree in French. She took graduate courses in French literature from 1978 to 1981 at New York University Graduate School of Arts & Science. She also studied at the Universite Des Sciences Humaines De Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France, during her junior year.
She was employed for 15 years at Schlumberger Limited, New York.
With her love of music, Ms. Alban-Hanschell sang in the choir of the Park Avenue Methodist Church and sang for many years with the New York Oratorio Society, which performs classical music several times a year at Carnegie Hall.
She resided part time on the Island of Barbados—where her daughter, Rebecca, was born—and in Hampton Bays.
She is survived by a daughter, Rebecca Hanschell of Hampton Bays and Barbados; her mother, Margaret Medford; and step-father, Alan Ungar of Hampton Bays; a sister, Dale Guild and husband Marc of Bronxville; and two nephews, Richard J. Tannen of Florida and Christopher C. Tannen of New York City.
Interment, under the direction of Scott Funeral Home, was July 12 at Good Ground Cemetery in Hampton Bays. Before the graveside service by Reverend Chuck Carey, former pastor of Westhampton Presbyterian Church, the chimes of the Methodist Church played “Come Abide With Me” and at the close of the service her daughter sang ABBA’s “She’s Slipping Thru My Fingers,” accompanied by her friend, Ben Olavarria.
on Aug 24, 2017