Joan Gertrude (Wainwright) Drugge

Joan Gertrude (Wainwright) Drugge, 91, a Bolton resident of over 58 years,passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family  at Rose Monahan Hospice Home in Worcester, MA, on Monday, October 24, 2022. She is together again with her beloved husband of 55 years, Donald E. Drugge, who predeceased her on February 2, 2006.

Joan worked for Robert Lowe of Sterling, MA for almost 60 years. She became affectionately known  as “Ma” Drugge to the 3 generations of students from Nashoba Regional School district as well as students from the Sterling schools.

Joan came into the world on July 28, 1931, and sadly lost her mother, Gertrude (Bigley) Wainwright on that same day. Born in Needham, MA, she was raised along with her late sister, Rita McCarthy, by their maternal grandparents in Watertown, MA. Joan graduated from Watertown High School in the class of 1950 and 1 year later married Donald. The newlyweds began their marriage in the military stationed in Kansas, and later returned to Massachusetts, landing first in West Concord, before finally settling in Bolton, MA. Joan began driving in the district as one of only two school buses at the time, bringing kids to school everyday and shuffling the school sports teams throughout the state to their games and meets. She later downsized and switched to captaining a special needs van, driving for many more years until she was.unable to drive, but continued to work as a bus monitor for special needs students until her retirement at 88 years young.

Those who knew Joan remember her as a strong person who told it like it was. She had many hobbies which included golf, bowling, and watching sports. Above all else, she loved to spend time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren as well as the children she cared for throughout the many decades.

Joan is survived by her three children, Donnie E. Drugge, Jr. and his wife Kathy of Lancaster, David J. Drugge and his wife Susanne of Bolton, and Donna Lee Lucht; her son-in-law Steve Lucht, 10 grandchildren, Sarah, Jessica, Jarrod, Stevie, Jason, Max, Hanna, Jessica, Beth and David and many great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are invited to a period of visitation from 4-7pm on Thursday, November 3, 2022, with Words of Remembrance being shared by friends and family at 7pm, at TIGHE HAMILTON REGIONAL FUNERAL HOME, 50 Central St., Hudson, MA. A private burial will  be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place • Memphis, TN 38104, https://www.stjude.org/ or Sterling, Animal Shelter Inc., 17 Laurelwood RD, Sterling, MA, 01564; https://www.sterlingshelter.org/