On December 24th our beloved vintage charm queen Joan Munkacsi lost her heroic battle with the cancers that have ravaged her for the past year. With her we have lost a wealth of knowledge unsurpassed in the jewelry community. She was always happy to share what she knew with anyone interested, and she knew it all. Joan had a rare grace and wonderful sense of humor; she started and was the heart of the eBay vintage charm group, and her collection was featured in Joanne Schwartz’s charm book ‘Charms and Charm Bracelets’ for which she was the technical adviser. That book is widely regarded as the bible for charm collectors.
I have tried to write this every day since then, to say something meaningful and descriptive, how wonderful she was, how much her life improved the world, how she brought joy and a passion for the things she loved to all of us. Finally I just had to give up – nothing I say can ever convey the warmth, the energy, the dry wit and zest for learning and sharing what she learned that was Joan. As they say in Babette’s Feast ‘Oh how she will delight the angels!’
The angel’s gain is our loss. Rest in peace my friend, I will think of you with every charm I find.
It breaks our hearts to feel her loss, yet we are blessed to have been lucky enough to know her.
click here for an obituary in her home town paper
Charming Joan
Very touching post about a talented and inspiring woman. She will surely be missed.