Jo-Anne Marie Bessette was born July 18th, 1950. She grew up in a warm and loving family. She is survived by a sister Carole and has been predeceased by a sister Jackie, a brother Kevin, a sister Giselle, and both her parents, Roland and Dorothy Bessette.
Growing up, she danced, sang and in high school was a cheerleader and valedictorian of her graduating class.
After high school she attended Smith College. While at Smith she met her future husband Norman Perr. It was at the end of freshman year of college and was love at first sight for both of them.
She was blessed with a beautiful voice and sang in the chorus at Smith College and in the Smiffenpoofs for 1 year at smith. She spent her junior year at Amherst College and then sang in a ragtime band at Amherst.
After Smith she attended Tufts Medical School and subsequently trained in Boston as a hematologist/oncologist. Her husband became a cardiologist and they settled in Northampton, Mass., both practicing their subspecialties. While practicing her speciality at a teaching hospital in Springfield, Mass. she also sang with a group of docs, singing rock and roll.
She loved her family, including her siblings and nieces and nephews. She also was a great dog lover and had the good fortune to have had wonderful dogs in her life. I include their names since the family knew them all, Max, Sophie, and Crazie Billie.
She became ill and in her last years led a very restricted life. She suffered the restrictions of her illness with grace. She stayed at home till her passing and she is terribly missed by all who had the good fortune to know her. Her husband especially mourns the loss of his wondrous lifelong partner. Her private arrangements were with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett.