Joan Buck Flather Clymer of Westport

Spunky Spirit

Posted 1/15/22

Joan Buck Flather Clymer of Westport, Mass., passed away peacefully on December 24, 2021, surrounded by her family and so much love. Joani had been fighting various health issues and had entered the …

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Joan Buck Flather Clymer of Westport

Spunky Spirit

Posted

Joan Buck Flather Clymer of Westport, Mass., passed away peacefully on December 24, 2021, surrounded by her family and so much love. Joani had been fighting various health issues and had entered the hospital only a few days prior.

Joani leaves behind her three children: Jennifer Flather and her husband Kevin Snodgrass of Washington, DC, Jill Tate and her husband Rich Tate of Dorchester, Mass., and Buck Flather and his wife Karen Flather of Ipswich, Mass. She also leaves behind her grandchildren, Marshall Tate and Ashton, Kayden and Cole Flather. Joani is also survived by her brothers, Buzzy Buck of Austin, Texas, Skip Buck of Plano, Texas, and her beloved sister and best friend, Ruth Holley of Richardson, Texas, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind, Kevin & Sally Clymer, and their children, Carolyn and Will.

She is predeceased by her granddaughter, Annie Tate, her second husband, Richard Clymer formerly of Mattapoisett, Mass., and her stepson, Jeffrey.

Joani will be remembered for her spunky spirit and the ability to make all people smile. Everyone says the only people who were not her friends were the ones she hadn’t met yet. Her ability to provide directions while legally blind was impressive.

Joani was born July 8, 1941, and spent her early life in Fall River, the daughter of Dr. Roger Buck and Marion Coward Buck. During junior high school, she moved to Midland, Texas, where she would finish high school prior to heading to Boston to graduate from Garland Jr College.

Joani had lots of professions over the years: bookkeeper, bartender, advertising sales, jumping derby manager, sales, office manager, swim instructor, Hickory Farms manager, and camp counselor. Her very favorite job was teaching special equestrian riding lessons in Florida. She also spent time as the mall Easter Bunny and Mrs. Claus.

Most of her summers until recently were spent at Nokomis Campground in Harrison, Maine. There was a very special family of people there (you know who you are).

She loved anything to do with horses and enjoyed all of her friends from Jane Gray’s Trippcrest Farm in Harrison Maine. They went to fairs around the eastern part of the country showing Percheron Horses, and it was one of the highlights of Joanie’s later life.

We will all remember her down to earth way and how she could make everyone laugh!

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Perkins School for the Blind or Bristol Elder Services, Inc. (donation button in the upper right corner). A celebration of life is planned for May 6, 2022.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.