Joel D. Sunderland, 89 and Doris M. (O'Dwyer) Sunderland, 86, of Westport passed away peacefully, hours apart on Thursday. June 6, 2024, they were married for 69 years.
Joel was born in San Diego, CA, son of the late James and Eileen (Curran) Sunderland and Doris was born in Fall River, daughter of the late Edward J. and Eva M. (Levesque) O'Dwyer, they were lifelong residents of Westport. They were Communicants of St. John the Baptist Church, Westport where they served as Eucharistic Ministers. Joel retired at 55 after a successful career with NCR witnessing the transition from mechanical cash registers to modern computers. Joel and Doris’s passion for traveling took them to all 50 states and places around the world. They enjoyed boating, skiing and walking the beach together. Joel also enjoyed playing tennis and golf while Doris enjoyed water aerobics, exercising, bird watching and gardening.
They were predeceased by their late children: Jennifer D. Sunderland and Joel D. Sunderland II.
Survivors include a son: Jeffrey D. Sunderland and his wife Carol F.; 2 daughters: Janice D. Martineau and her husband Charles and Jerilyn D. McQuade and her fiance Geoffrey Rendall; 9 grandchilden; and 2 great grandchildren. They were the father-in-law and mother-in-law of the late Michael McQuade.
Memorial Mass to which relatives and friends are invited will be Monday, June 17, 2024 at St. John the Baptist Church, Westport at 11:00 A.M.