WINTHROP – Joan S. Giles (Balmayne), 90, of Winthrop, Maine, died Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, at the Captain Lewis Residence in Farmingdale, Maine, after a brief hospitalization.Mrs. Giles was the daughter of the late Doris and Colin Balmayne of Milton, Massachusetts. The family later moved to Braintree, Massachusetts, where she attended Thayer Academy and was in the class of 1948. Mrs. Giles was a legal and executive secretary with the law firm of Goodwin and Procter until 1960. She also worked with the Arlington Trust Company as an executive assistant.She was married to her husband, Norman D. Giles in 1957, and shared 49 years together before his passing. They settled in Boxford, Massachusetts, where she raised her family and was a member of the New Meadows Garden Club. Together with her family, she spent many summers on Nantucket enjoying the natural beauty and history of the Island. She also looked forward to traveling with her husband and close friends to various islands in the Caribbean as a winter break for many years.Joan was an avid reader and especially enjoyed biographies. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of people, places and history that captivated and amazed listeners. Joan and her husband also shared a passion for antiques and over the years they collected many items to furnish their homes in Boxford and Nantucket. Mrs. Giles was predeceased by her husband, Norman, and her daughter, Susan Giles-Gagne. She is survived by her sister, Mary Jane Skidmore of Cummings, Georgia, her son, Steven D. Giles and his wife, Patricia Giles of York, Maine, and her son-in-law, Richard Gagne of Winthrop, Maine. Additionally, she leaves four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.A private burial service will be at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband. Arrangements are in the care of the Knowlton- Hewins Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 1 Church St., Augusta, where memories, condolences and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of our website at http://www.familyfirstfh.com

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