Saratoga Springs, NY - Joan Walter, cherished daughter, beloved wife, and devoted mother died after a brave struggle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on October 11, 2026, at home with family in Saratoga Springs, New York at age 79.

Joan was born on August 22, 1947, to Josef and Freda Walter in Englewood, New Jersey. She was an only child and a first generation American. Joan grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey and attended Dwight School for Girls in Englewood where she was the first student in the school’s history to take Calculus. Joan attended Mount Holyoke College with a major in Art History. Following graduation, she earned a Masters in Architecture from Columbia University in 1973.

In 1971 Joan reconnected with a friend from college and in 1972, on a pretty, snowy day in early November. married Douglas M. Kerr at the White Church in historic Grafton, Vermont.

After Columbia, Joan worked for the New York State Urban Development Corporation and then the consulting firm planning a replacement for the West Side Highway in New York City. The project was controversial and was not built. While testifying in Federal Court in a regulatory proceeding, Joan decided it was better to be on the attorney’s side of the bar than on the witness stand. She attended Fordham University School of Law and graduated with a JD degree in 1986.

Joan began her legal career as an Associate at Shea & Gould in New York City. As a first-year Associate, she argued before the New York State Court of Appeals, winning a unanimous decision. She took a nine-month leave to Clerk for United States District Court Judge Shirley Wohl Kram in the Southern District of New York.

During her time at Shea & Gould Joan was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer and beat it, against the odds. As a measure of her grit, she was back at work only four days after her hysterectomy. In 1991 she and Doug adopted their son, Christopher Josef Kerr. Following the dissolution of Shea & Gould in 1994 she worked for several firms as Of Counsel. She principally represented architects and engineers in litigation.

Outside of her career, Joan had three great passions. As a little girl she would go antiquing with her mother and wanted to collect everything. After a while her mother suggested she choose one thing to collect – and so began a lifelong passion for art glass perfume bottles. Over the years Joan assembled an extensive collection of bottles and became an authority on American perfume, cologne and scent bottles. Joan was an early member of the International Perfume Bottle Association. She served on their Board of Directors as Treasurer for several years. In 2008 the Association awarded her its Highest Honors for her service to the organization.

Joan’s second passion was historic preservation. She and Doug restored an almost pristine 1892 brownstone on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where they lived for 31 years. After moving to Saratoga Springs in 2003 they renovated another 1892 house where they have lived since. After retirement, Joan was active in the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation and provided Pro Bono Counsel to the organization. She became an expert at researching house histories for the Foundation’s historic plaque program and prepared 252 house histories over the years. Joan also wrote a chapter on early landowners of Saratoga Springs – The Landmen -for Saratoga Springs A Centennial History published in 2015.

Joan’s greatest passion was home and family. Whether it was entertaining 75 of her Fordham Law classmates for a party, making beef bourguignon from scratch, painting a Japanese inspired mural on all four walls of the dining room or patching a leaky ceiling, Joan did it with grace and aplomb. Her greatest joy was her son Chris. Sundays were reserved for trips to the Bronx Zoo for many years. On other days it was a mother-son trip to see the Lion King on Broadway or Bruce Springsteen at the Garden. And of course, there was reading Harry Potter to calm an energetic son at the end of the day. At the mention of Chris’ name, Joan would swell with love and pride to recount his latest adventure.

Joan was an only child, but in addition to Doug and Chris and his new bride Rachel, she is survived by a large and loving family. Brothers and sisters in spirit, if not in fact: Donald and Cynde Kerr, Katharine Kerr Gillispie, Nancy Myers, David and Susan Fink, and Richard and Kathy Fink. Nieces and nephews: Vanessa Jean Kerr, Christopher Donald Kerr, Jessica Blaire, Renee Myers, Michael and Susan Marsden, Christine Haase, Bryan and Katie Fink, Vanya Fink, and Nikki Fink. Grand nieces and nephews: Eric Haase, Brooklyn Haase, Jacob Blaire, Adah Blaire, Ziv Blaire, Aria Blaire and William Fink.

The family would like to thank the staff and nurses of the Saratoga Hospital Oncology/Hematology and Infusion Units for their compassionate care, as well as the nurses of the Community Hospice of Saratoga.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s name may be made to the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. A celebration of Joan’s life of accomplishment, determination and love will be held at a later date.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com