Joanne "Jiggs" (Read) Floyd

Joanne “Jiggs” Read Floyd, 83, of South Tamworth, NH passed away in the evening of Sunday, August 7th 2022, surrounded by her loving family.

Joanne was born October 4th, 1938 in Cambridge, MA, the daughter of the late Richard “Buzz” and Claire Read.  Joanne’s childhood was split between Cambridge, MA, and Wonalancet, NH as her father purchased and moved to a working dairy farm in the scenic Wonalancet Interval.  It was here that she developed her love for animals, farming, and the White Mountains.  While her early educational years were in NH, her family wintered in Wickenburg, Arizona, where Joanne attended high school.  Joanne was an accomplished athlete, evidenced by establishing herself as the number one player on the men’s varsity golf team- winning the club championship in 1957.  In addition to golf, Joanne loved skiing and swimming.  She was a ski and swim instructor in her adult years, with her proudest moments being teaching her grandkids, Ethan and Alyssa, how to ski.

Joanne was attending the University of New Hampshire when she met Robert Floyd.  Coincidentally, Robert played 1st base for Richard Read’s (Joanne’s father) semi-professional baseball team, the Tamworth Tigers.  Joanne eloped with Robert in 1960.

Joanne and Robert pursued their shared dream of developing a working farm where they raised Hereford (beef) cattle, draft horses, and quarterhorse riding horses.  As one of the few female teamsters in the region, Joanne trained working oxen and attended various shows and fairs; however, her true love lay in riding horses, being an avid equestrian well into her 60s.  Joanne devoted her energy to raising, training and showing Appaloosas, traveling across the country to compete in acclaimed horse shows.  She always made a point to ride in the local Sandwich Fair as well.

Joanne worked hard providing for her family, beginning her professional career as a working mother selling Avon products door to door around town.  Her consistent success led her supervisor to assign her five additional routes, more than any other representative in the Northeast.  She continuously won national contests and awards, leading Avon management to recruit her as a District Manager for the company.   She retired from the company in 2000, leaving her with ample time to pursue horses, farm life, and chasing around her grandchildren.

Joanne was predeceased by her brothers, Tom and Bertram Read.   She is survived by her adoring sisters, Nancy Coville and Helen Steele of Wonalancet, NH, two sons, Randall Floyd of Provincetown, MA, and Gary Floyd and his wife Diane Floyd of North Sandwich, NH, and grandchildren Ethan and Alyssa Floyd, also of North Sandwich, NH.

Calling hours will take place on Sunday, August 21st, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Lord Funeral Home- 50 Moultonville Road, Center Ossipee, NH.

Funeral Services will be held graveside on Monday, August 2wnd at 11 a.m. at the Wonalancet Cemetery in Wonalancet, NH, Followed by a Reception

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