Joan L. Loria of Belmont, Mass., an artist who had a long career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a curator, museum director, and author, died in hospice care in Minnesota on May 8. A frequent summer visitor to East Hampton, she was 88.
She was the first in her family to attend college, and while she was accepted at the Rhode Island School of Design, she chose to attend, and then graduated from, the Massachusetts College of Art.
Ms. Loria’s career at M.I.T. spanned 20 years, as she curated exhibitions across art mediums and genres. Her subjects included Harold (Doc) Edgerton, a scientist and researcher, and Gyorgy Kepes, a Hungarian painter and photographer. One exhibition, “Earth, Sea, and Sky,” celebrated the paintings of Charles H. Woodbury, and together with Warren Seamans she co-authored a book on his work.
In her retirement, Ms. Loria remained active at M.I.T. by volunteering at the museum and for the alumnae association.
“Exhibition curation and being on the leadership team of the M.I.T. Historical Museum was Joan’s greatest passion,” her family wrote. “Artists, researchers, and scientists highly valued Joan’s ability to reflect their diversity, vision, and voices.”
She was born on Nov. 14, 1935, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to Eva and Joseph Novitski, and grew up in Worcester, Mass.
Her husband, Robert L. Loria, also worked at M.I.T. They raised their children in Belmont, where Ms. Loria spent more than 60 years of her life.
She was “a fierce believer in the importance of education,” her family wrote.
She frequented the museums and beaches of East Hampton and enjoyed traveling, running, watching PBS mysteries, cooking, and reading the Sunday New York Times and Boston Globe.
Her husband died in 1978; a sister, Barbara Phenix, also died before her. Ms. Loria leaves her children: Alex Loria of East Hampton, Robert Loria of Virginia and his wife, Sara, and Dana Loria and Christopher Loria, both of Minnesota. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Isel, Luke, Eliana, Dante, Taylor, Madison, and Nate, and many extended family members and friends.
Ms. Loria was cremated. Her family has suggested memorial donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Covenant House, the American Cancer Society, or M.I.T.
