Joan Dreyfus

Joan Dreyfus Obituary

Joan King Dreyfus died peacefully at home in New Haven, Connecticut on April 24, 2026. She was born in Phillips Manor, Sleepy Hollow, New York, on March 28, 1942, the eldest of three children of Henry and Fidelia King.

Joan was trained as a registered nurse at St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie, NY. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Pace University and a Masters of Science in Nursing degree from Yale University School of Nursing, where she specialized in psychiatric-mental health nursing. Most of her professional life was spent in psychiatric nursing, as a staff nurse, head nurse, nurse clinician and nurse practitioner. She worked as a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut and Masonic Home and Hospital in Wallingford, Connecticut. She was an assistant professor at the Yale University School of Nursing, where she taught psychiatric liaison nursing. From 1989 until her death, she was a highly respected psychotherapist in private practice. Her specialty was in cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness therapy for individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety and panic disorders, depression, insomnia and chronic pain.

Her daughter, Kathleen C. Murray, was born on March 17, 1965, during a brief first marriage to Michael J. Murray. In 1978, Joan married Marc G. Dreyfus. She and Marc had an extremely happy union. Their shared interests included a love of the arts and the ocean. Joan and Marc often vacationed at their favorite island, Anguilla.

Joan was a woman of great thoughtfulness and spirit. She frequently hosted holiday gatherings at her home by the New Haven shore. She will be remembered as a good friend.

She is survived by her brother, John Gordon King (Patricia); nieces and nephews John Charles King (Shelby), Barbra Becicka (Dan), William Rice, and Jennifer Ann Rice Dubay; stepdaughter Katherine Dreyfus, and step-granddaughter Isabel Dreyfus.

Joan was predeceased by her husband, Marc Dreyfus, her daughter, Kathleen Murray, and her sister, Fidelia King Rice.

Memorial contributions may be made to Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are with the Hawley Lincoln, 424 Elm St. New Haven.