Obituary

Joan Foster Nugent considered herself to be the unofficial greeter at Freedom Village.  Whenever she found out about someone who had just moved into the senior living community in Lake Forest, Calif., she would find them, introduce herself and invite the newcomer to join her and a group of friends for dinner in the dining room. She was a one-woman welcome wagon.

Mrs. Nugent lived at Freedom Village for 10 years. She and her husband, Burns Nugent, moved there from Leisure World in Laguna Woods, Calif., where they had been living since 1992, after leaving their home in Oregon. The two were married for 62 years and lived in many places, including Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, D.C., Oregon and California. Mr. Nugent died in 2015 at the age of 90.

Mrs. Nugent died on Nov. 21 at the age of 93 after a short illness. She is survived by her daughter, Lee Nugent Hall, 70, of Bellingham, Mass.; her son, Peter Nugent, 68, of Clinton, Mass.; her daughter-in-law, Karen Nugent, 68, of Clinton; three grandchildren, Lisa, Lindsay and Katie; a step granddaughter, Kristina; and nine great-grandchildren. A son-in-law, Stephen Hall, died in 2018.

Mrs. Nugent was born in 1930 in San Diego, Calif., the daughter of Monroe and Myrtle (Dunks) Foster. She attended the University of California at Berkeley where she received a Bachelor of Science degree. She was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and Mortar Board.

Mrs. Nugent had a long and varied life. She worked in several fields, including accounting, real estate, fundraising, marketing, and radio sales at the radio station she and her husband owned in The Dalles, Ore.

Aside from her professional work, Mrs. Nugent found time for many volunteer activities, including a stint as president of the Junior League in Duluth, Minn., and a development associate with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.

At Freedom Village, Mrs. Nugent was an avid bridge player and participated in pool exercises and many local field trips. She was best known for her outgoing personality. As she walked through the corridors daily, she greeted everyone she passed with a bright smile and a warm hello. In the dining room she often dined with a large group of friends.

Mrs. Nugent was an energetic presence at Freedom Village. Always a whirlwind of activity. She was friends with nearly everyone there, including many of the staff. She will be missed by all.