Joann Marie Briggs

Joann Marie Briggs, age 72, died of natural causes at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh on April 22, 2026. She was born in 1953 to the late Dorothy and Anthony Kraemer.

Joann graduated with her M.S. in Library Science from SUNY at Buffalo in 1975 and had a long career as a public librarian in the Town of Irondequoit, NY. Her duties ranged from part-time work to full-time branch head adjusting as needed to raise her two sons.

Upon retirement she moved from Rochester, NY to Durham, NC to live in the new 55+ community called Carolina Arbors. During retirement she helped at several churches to share her librarian skills, and she was a club officer in a group of ladies called the “CA Yarn Buddies”. They frequently did knitting and crocheting projects for both their own families and for charity.

Joann is survived by her husband James with whom she celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary last June, her two sons and their wives: Gregory (Erin) and Matthew (Jordan), her sister Doreen (Ed) Kelly and her brother Gary (late Linda) Kraemer. She is also survived by nine wonderful grandchildren ages 5 months to 19 years and many other beloved family members.

A funeral Mass is planned at Holy Infant Catholic Church, 5000 Southpark Dr. Durham, NC on Thursday May 21, 2026 at 11am. Interment will immediately follow at the church’s memorial garden and columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (https://myotonic.org/).