JOANNE EUSDEN Obituary

EUSDEN, Joanne "Josie" (Reiman) Psychotherapist, volunteer, nature-lover. Joanne "Josie" (Reiman) Eusden, died peacefully on the summer solstice, June 21, 2025, at age 100, in Auburn, ME, surrounded by family. Known for her kindness, wit, and radiant smile, Josie was the heart of every gathering of the extended Eusden family. Her warmth, humor, and trademark one-liners, always delivered in good fun, made her beloved by all. When her children said, "I love you," she would respond, "I loved you first!" Born February 5, 1925, ("2-5-2-5," as she liked to say), in Medford, MA, Josie grew up in Newton. Her father, Clarence Reiman, was an MIT-trained engineer and inventor. Her mother, Harriet Allen Reiman, a BU graduate in physical education, passed on a love of Scottish heritage and the motto "gang warily!" Josie graduated from Wellesley College in 1946, with a degree in English Composition and married John Dykstra Eusden in 1950. While John studied at Yale, Josie earned her master's in social work from BU and began her career in psychotherapy in New Haven, CT. After raising their four children, Josie resumed her work as a psychiatric social worker in Massachusetts, Vermont, and Japan, retiring in 1993, after more than 30 years in the field. The Chaplain's House at Williams College, where the family lived for decades, was a hub of hospitality. Josie welcomed all - students, dignitaries like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ram Dass, and countless others: with her nurturing meals and open heart. Every Williams College freshman was hosted for a dessert evening, and the home was a refuge for those without holiday plans. Summers were spent at the family's home in Randolph, NH, where Josie embraced friends, hikers, and all who passed through. A framed sign, "Continuous lunch - all day, all night!," remains in the kitchen. In her communities, she volunteered for Meals on Wheels, the Red Cross, A Better Chance, and local libraries and churches. In 2006, she received the Volunteer of the Year Award from The Salvation Army Corps of North Adams. As a young woman during WWII, Josie served as a civilian "plane spotter" on Boston rooftops. A lifelong nature lover, she especially adored birds and delighted in identifying their calls. Music was central to her life, she played piano with a trained ear and sang joyfully, particularly during Christmas and family sing-alongs. Josie was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, John Eusden; and brothers, Peter and Philip Reiman. She is survived by her children, Andrea Eusden (Charlie Armstrong), Alan Eusden (Lynn), Dyk Eusden (Lydia), and Sarah Eusden Gallop (Andy Gallop); nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many other beloved relations. The family is deeply grateful to the staff at Schooner Memory Care and Andwell Hospice for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Josie's name to the non-profit organizations that she proudly served in Williamstown, MA: First Congregational Church, Friends of the Milne Public Library or in Randolph, NH: Randolph Church, Friends of the Randolph Public Library or A Better Chance. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Randolph Church, on Monday, August 4, at 4 PM. As Josie would say, "Goodbye, goodbye, be always kind and true." Josie's full obituary can be found, at https://www.albert-burpee.com/

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