Joan Vastardis, 84, of St. Augustine, Florida, passed away peacefully on September 19, 2026, with her adoring husband Dudley New at her side. She was a cherished mother, grandmother, and friend, and her presence will be deeply missed.

Born in Geneva, New York on August 17, 1942 to Gladys and Joseph Catenacci, Joan attended Barry College in Miami, graduating with a degree in nursing. She met her husband Dimitri Vastardis, a commercial airline pilot, and they married in 1967. They had a daughter, Maya, in 1968 and moved to Athens, Greece a few years later.

After Dimitri died in a plane crash in 1972, Joan and Maya stayed in Athens for ten years. Joan did something few single women did in 1970s Greece— she opened a successful business named Girl Friday International, which offered translation and secretarial services to English speaking companies in Athens.

Upon returning to the States, Joan enrolled at the Savannah College of Art and Design where she earned a Masters in interior design.

There, she met the second love of her life, Dudley New. They married on New Year’s Eve, 1990 and lived happily together for thirty-six years, in both Savannah, Georgia and St. Augustine. They collected antiques—Dudley, fountain pens and Joan, Bakelite, and early form of colorful plastic from the 1920s.

Joan is survived by her daughter, Maya Vastardis (Matt Mendelsohn) of Arlington, Virginia; Dudley’s son, Dudley New Jr. of Savannah; her grandchildren Alexandra Mendelsohn, Chandler New, Jenna New Kernodle, Reese New, and great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, Friday, October 2, 2026 in Bonaventure Cemetery. Reverend Howard Conine will officiate.