Joan Degnan

Pinned, Cut, and Sewn Together Joan Degnan

This is our story of an outwardly perfect family. Inside our house though, strife often prevailed. Unknown to us as children, other families also had struggles. This may be your story, too. Being close in age, fifteen months apart we had many of the same experiences but each of us viewed them through our own eyes, with our own personalities, and from our own vantage points. Our true story is made of many tales. Let us take you back to our early preschool years through high school in the 1940s through 1960s. Sense the anxiety of Joan as she stood with Grandma Degnan while the elderly lady was challenged by the United States Border Patrol. Workplace problems confounded Maureen as she announced, "Strike!" and labor ceased. In a parking lot, unattended in the family car, two preschoolers, Jane and Denny, survived unharmed. Would fears of our malingering, alcoholic father become unbearable? Could our energetic, steadfast mother balance the trials of growing girls and running a household on her own? Each story is written by one of us, Joan, Maureen, or Jane. Each story comes from our hearts and reveals our personalities, our challenges, and our strengths. Join us on our journey as we take you through the deep waters, rocky roads, adventurous climbs, and joyful exploits of our growing up years. The Degnan girls were raised in Erie, Pennsylvania during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Maureen Furno is a retired nurse who lives in Wisconsin. Joan Degnan and Jane Childers are retired teachers who live in Texas. The three sisters enjoy spending time with their families, volunteering and visiting with each other. This is their first book.