A touching family memoir is now available thru Amazon
Marcel's Closed Door and Quiet Courage
A Story That Needed to be Told
About Joan and Trecia
Together, Joan and Trecia have created a memoir that honors not just a soldier’s story, but the quiet courage that runs through generations. One of the reasons they felt compelled to write these memories was to help their family—and future generations—understand the courage their dad carried in his soul, and the silent strength shared by all who go to war. There are no pictures, no movies, no stories that can truly convey what war is unless you’ve walked in the shoes of a soldier. As eighty years have passed since World War II, fewer voices remain to bear witness.
As children, growing up in the family home Dad and his brothers built, Joan and Trecia shared a room together. As adults we came together once again to work on a project we were both passionate about. This is Joan and Trecia’s first memoir, crafted with care to honor both history and heart.
Joan Preston is the third-born, middle child of Marcel and Carmen Charest. She and her husband, Gary, relocated from Maine to Fort Myers, Florida upon their retirement in 2018. After her father’s passing, Joan quietly carried the idea of telling his wartime story—a memory tucked deep in her heart. That vision began to take shape during a return visit to Maine, when she discovered the War Department envelope nestled among family papers. It became the spark that lit this memoir. Joan has two children: her daughter, Lisa, lives in New Hampshire, and her son, Garett, resides in Pennsylvania. Her current companion, Savanna—a 13-year-old Field Spaniel—has remained faithfully by her feet throughout the writing of this memoir.
Trecia Travers and her husband Michael live in Grafton, West Virginia. Having raised her family in West Minot, Maine she and her husband made the difficult decision to leave their home and roots to be close to their children and grandchildren. They both felt that their futures were with the younger generations. Trecia has always lived life on her own terms, with deep respect for family heritage. Her 100+ year-old home is filled with vintage bottles, old photographs, and echoes of the past. She volunteers at soup kitchens and finds peace walking new paths through nature—always listening, always remembering.
Trecia Travers and her husband Michael live in Grafton, West Virginia. Having raised her family in West Minot, Maine she and her husband made the difficult decision to leave their home and roots to be close to their children and grandchildren. They both felt that their futures were with the younger generations. Trecia has always lived life on her own terms, with deep respect for family heritage. Her 100+ year-old home is filled with vintage bottles, old photographs, and echoes of the past. She volunteers at soup kitchens and finds peace walking new paths through nature—always listening, always remembering.
