Obituary of Joan Agnes Nist

Joan Nist, 92, of Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains, passed away peacefully Sunday, June 2nd, 2024. Born in the Bronx, New York, Joan was the daughter of Edward and Nora McGuire. Joan was a graduate of Hunter College where she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority. In 1954, Joan married Allan Nist.  Joan and Allan settled in Bernardsville in 1959, where one of Joan’s first jobs was Director of Welfare for the Borough of Bernardsville.  Later, Joan served as the social worker on the Child Study Team in Mendham Township for many years.

Joan’s generous and loving nature was treasured by her family and her many friends, some of whom she knew since childhood, and with whom she remained in contact throughout her life.  As a social worker, people were very important to her.  Joan and Allan’s youngest daughter, Alayne, was born with Down syndrome. The couple devoted their lives to Alayne’s care until her death at the age of 43.  

Joan is predeceased by her husband, Allan and their daughter, Alayne, as well as by her sister, Frances Buglio.  Joan is survived by her daughter Alison Chester and her husband Brian, and her grandsons David Sauri and Kyle Sauri and his wife, Mariam, and by her daughter Leslie Nist and her son and his wife, Scott and Natalie Zieger and her great grandsons Liam, Hunter and James, and by her grand-daughter Mallory Zieger.

A funeral mass will be held at 10am on Monday, June 17th at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Bernardsville, NJ. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Basking Ridge, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Joan's favorite charity, Tunnel to Towers would be greatly appreciated by her family.