Joan S. Root

ROOT Joan (nee Schimpf) of Naples, FL formerly of Chestnut Hill and Blue Bell, PA passed away January 16, 2018 surrounded by her children. Beloved wife of Stanley W. Root, Jr. (deceased). Loving mother of Henry W. (Marilyn) of Los Angeles, CA and Louise R. Melby (Scott) of Naples, FL, and cherished grandmother of Christopher and Sterling Root and Scott and George Melby.  Her husband, a son, Walter W. and her parents Henry L. Schimpf, Jr. and Josephine Sibson Schimpf Jones predeceased her.   Mrs. Root graduated from Germantown Friends School and Skidmore College.  She loved to travel and explore new cultures and was one of the first participants in The Experiment for International Living based in Stowe, VT; she spent several summers living with host families in Denmark, Mexico and Guatemala.   Mrs. Root was a civic worker devoting much of her time to volunteer activities wherever she lived. She was a Trustee Emeritus of the Philadelphia Museum of Art where she was actively involved: she served as Chairman of the Museum Guide program and President of the Women’s Committee in addition to being a guide for numerous years. Her friendship with C. Otto Kretzschmar von Kienbusch was instrumental in the museum obtaining his arms and armor collection upon his death.    Mrs. Root was a Port Warden of the Philadelphia Independence Seaport Museum and served on the Board of Directors of Philadelphia Hospitality Inc. and the Friends of the Independence National Historical Park. She was an Ambassador for the City of Philadelphia on a delegation trip to Paris, France in 2006 and served as a guide at INHP during the Bicentennial Celebration.  Her volunteer activities also included serving as a member of the Friends of Art at the Philharmonic Galleries in Naples, FL, the Director’s Guild of the Morris Arboretum, the Random Garden Club, the Acorn Club and the Junior League of Philadelphia.   Mrs. Root was an avid athlete and a lover of nature; she enjoyed sailing, fishing, playing golf, tennis, and squash, going for nature hikes and building terrariums. She had five holes-in-one during her life! She was a member of Royal Poinciana Golf Club and Sunnybrook Golf Club.   A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chestnut Hill. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Walter W. Root Arborist Internship Program c/o the Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania, 100 Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA  19118 or the Library Fund of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, P.O. Box 7646, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7646.