Joan M. Baptiste of Vineyard Haven died at age 57 on Tuesday, May 1, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital from a long battle with lung cancer.

She was the wife of Kim Baptiste, whom she met in high school and was married to for 37 years.

She was born in Somerville on August 14, 1954, and at the age of eight she moved to Martha’s Vineyard with her parents, Brooks and Frances Carter. Her father, Brooks, was the owner of Carter Hardware Store on Main street in Vineyard Haven. She attended the Tisbury School and was graduated from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 1973.

She married an Island boy, Kim Baptiste, in 1975, and had two children — Holly Ann Baptiste (Jackson) and Michael Brooks Baptiste.

Joan loved kayaking, spending time with her family and granddaughters, Mckensi and Neve. Joan was working at the Tisbury School Café until she took ill.

She was a parishioner of the Good Shepherd Parish and a member of the P.A. Club. Those of you who knew Joan, know she had a fun, fulfilled life and wouldn’t change a thing. She would want her family and friends to remember her with a smile.

She is survived by her husband, Kim; her children, Holly Jackson and son in law William Jackson, son Michael Baptiste, her granddaughters Mckensi and Neve; and her brothers, Robert Carter of Wilmington, Roger Carter of Westford and Paul Carter of West Tisbury. She is also survived by her nephews, Cole, Brooks and Ben and her niece, Lilly.

The family would like to thank Dr. Beth Donnelly and all the nurses at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital for all their help and support and also Dr. Lovett from Hyannis.

Visiting hours will be held in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs, today, May 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. Her funeral mass will be celebrated in St. Augustine’s Church, on Saturday, May 5 at 2 p.m. and interment will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery, State Road, Vineyard Haven. A reception will be held at the P.A. Club. Please bring a dish to share.

Donations may be made in her memory to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 2549 or to the P.A. Club Benevolent Society, P.O. Box 2203 both in Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 or the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen street, Framingham, MA 01701.