Joanne Egan Handerhan of Edison died Friday at the age of 77 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

She was the daughter of the late John R. and Gertrude (Hurley) Egan. She was raised in Fords, NJ, and spent most of her life in Edison. She was a graduate of St. Mary's High School in Perth Amboy, NJ, and Douglass College in New Brunswick. She worked for many years at the Rutgers University Institute of Microbiology, retiring at the time of the birth of her daughter, Joanne. She was a communicant at Our Lady of Peace Church, Fords, NJ.

Joanne was married for more than 50 years to her beloved husband, Leo R. Handerhan, Sr., who predeceased her in 2008; she was also predeceased by her brother, John Egan, and her sisters, Gertrude Mayer and Jeanne Dunham.

She is survived by her sons: Leo R. Handerhan, Jr. and his wife Theresa of Bel Air, MD, and Gregory P. Handerhan of Wake Forest, NC; her daughter, Joanne E. Handerhan and her companion, Thomas J. Phillips, of Toms River; six grandchildren: Sean and Peter Handerhan of Bel Air, MD; Kaitlyn, Megan, Ryan, and Brianna Handerhan of Wake Forest, NC; her sister, Betty Syring; her brother, Robert Egan; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at Flynn and Son Funeral Home, 23 Ford Avenue, Fords, NJ, on Monday, January 23, 2012, from 7:00-9:00 PM. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Peace Church in Fords. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Piscataway.

Memorial contributions in her name may be sent to The Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, 1421 River Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854.