Scholarship information can be found at the bottom of the page.

Joan M. (Lombardo) Tanzella, 75, of Easton, passed away on Friday, November 25, 2022, at Lehigh Valley Hospital Muhlenberg surrounded by loved ones. Born in Easton on September 21, 1947, she was a daughter of the late Antonio and Mary (Busco) Lombardo. She attended Easton Catholic School and graduated from Notre Dame High School class of 1965. She earned her bachelors and masters of Education and Mathematics from East Stroudsburg University in 1969. Joan was an elementary school teacher with the Easton Area School District for 35 years retiring in 2005. Retirement couldn't keep her away though and she was a substitute teacher for 3 additional years for the district. She then worked 3 years and volunteered for another at the Crayola Factory.  She married Domenic L. Tanzella in June of 1970 and shared 38 beautiful years of marriage with him until his passing in 2008.

Joan was a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Easton where she also taught CCD and was also a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Easton. She was a member of EAEA, PSEA, and NEA. She was also involved with the Easton Area H.S. Instrumental Music Boosters. Joan enjoyed bowling and volunteered with the Keystone State Bowling Games for 13 years, where she was proud to witness her son Vincent win Gold. Joan changed many lives; she achieved this by mentoring students and aspiring teachers for generations. She enjoyed travel to Hawaii, Italy, and her yearly trips to Florida with close friends and family. Her favorite activity was to sit with her feet in the sand watching the sunrise and sunset as the day faded away. She did this with her husband Domenic and all three of her family's generations. She looked forward to that every year and visiting the one place that her true kid came out, Disney.  Joan passed away on Black Friday her favorite day of the year to get up early and find great deals on things for her loved ones. She was known for her incredible cooking, with her go to meal consisting of fettuccini alfredo, prime rib, sausage stuffing, 7-layer Oreo cheesecake and her famous rice pudding. Joan spent many a Labor day with close friends in Pen Argyl going to Weona Park, seeing fireworks, and proudly watching the parade that her grandson Philip was in. Her favorite weekend activity for years was playing 8 or 10 handed pinochle on Saturday night with her entire family and close friend Pam's family while eating Schafer's Bologna and a special salsa-cheese dip.  Joan's favorite thing in life was being a grandmother and spending quality time with her great grandchildren; this would bring a smile of joy to her face that could brighten the world and anyone's day. You could find Joan enjoying her days of retirement sitting outside under an umbrella with the sun on her legs, her great grand dogs on her feet, a breeze on her face, either reading a book or reciting the Rosary.

She is survived by her sons, Vincent Tanzella and Anthony "AJ" Tanzella; grandchildren, Philip Anthony Zito and his wife Nicolle; great granddaughter, Blaiklyn; great grandson, Daxtyn; sister, Margaret Lombardo-Hoffert and her husband Bill and their daughter, Lauren Hoffert; brother, Joseph Lombardo.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, December 2, 2022, from 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM and also on Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 8:15 AM – 9:15 AM in the Morello Funeral Home, Inc., 3720 Nicholas Street, Easton (Palmer Twp.). A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 AM on Saturday in St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 9 ^th and Lehigh Streets, Easton. Interment will take place at St. Anthony's Cemetery, Easton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Joan Tanzella Future Educator Scholarship Award Endowment and mailed to 2704 Oregon Street, Easton, PA 18045 or online at https://gofund.me/f3b9a0cc . Online condolences may be made at www.morellofuneralhome.com.