Dr. Joan Evelyn Kinlan passed away on May 18, 2020 in Framingham, MA. Joan was born on March 14, 1943 in Yonkers, NY to Mary and Patrick Kinlan (both dec’d). Joan was the devoted wife of 36 years to Colonel Leo Boucher who preceded her in death in 2019.

Joan is survived by her daughters, Kathleen Boucher-Lavigne (Abby) and Maureen Kinlan Boucher; her siblings Margaret of New York City, Patricia of Long Island, NY; Patrick of Vienna, VA, Bernard (Lynn) of Guilderland, NY and James (Carol) of Newton, MA.  Joan’s extended family includes her husband’s children Stephen, Kenneth, James (Kim), Daniel, and Lisa (Jeff). She is preceded in death by her brother John, sister-in-law Helen and nephew Brian.

Joan graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, NY, College of Mt. St. Vincent in Riverdale, NY and SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. After medical school she completed her internship training at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and residency at Strong Memorial Hospital at the University of Rochester. Dr. Kinlan was board certified in both adult psychiatry and adolescent and child psychiatry. Dr. Kinlan served as a consultant to schools for the hearing impaired including Gallaudet University. She was a fellow in child psychiatry at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center and George Washington University Medical Center. Dr. Kinlan was an expert in her field, and a consultant to numerous institutions including but not limited to the Psychiatry Unit for Incarcerated Children.  She served as Acting Chief for the Youth Forensic Psychiatry Unit for the Commission of Mental Health.  She served on the leadership team at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital and as a forensic psychiatrist for the Department of Justice.

Joan was an avid reader throughout her life.  She was a lover of the arts and frequently went to museums and the theater.  She was goal focused on being a doctor at a very early age and was a lifelong learner. Joan had dual citizenship in the United States and Ireland and enjoyed visiting Ireland and seeing her relatives.  She loved her Irish heritage and participated in an Irish literary group. Amidst all of this, Joan always wanted to be a mother and was so happy when her twin girls were born.  She was very active in the schools they attended and when they were in College at Amherst and Marist, Joan and Leo made the long drive from Washington DC to many of their athletic and music activities. Joan loved to cook and thoroughly enjoyed hosting relatives and friends in her home whenever an occasion would arise.

Joan was a parishioner of Annunciation Church.  She was extremely devoted to her Catholic faith throughout her life and attended daily Mass whenever possible. In his later years when her husband, Leo, was not able to get to church, Joan would bring him the Eucharist.  She would say to Leo, “I’ve got Jesus for you”.

The family will gather to receive friends at 12noon on November 12, 2020 at Annunciation Catholic Church, 3810 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC. A funeral mass will follow at 12:30 p.m. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery will take place at 3 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, located at 3615 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 www.aacap.org/donate.  Dr. Kinlan was honored to be a member of the AACAP and their former President of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of Society of Greater Washington.

She regularly traveled across the country to attend annual meetings where she collaborated to optimize professional standards for practicing psychiatrists and future practitioners. Joan will be missed by so many.  She had such a ready smile and a surprising laugh.  She was a person of tremendous curiosity and energy to explore life and all it could hold.  How she managed all she did remains a mystery to those who knew her well.