Joan Johnson, Trailblazing Town Official and Advocate, Dies At 86

Died: August 10, 2019

Visitation: Wednesday, August 14 and Thursday, August 15 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons Funeral Home on 200 East Main Street in East Islip.

Service: Friday, August 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons Funeral Home.

Obituary: Joan B. Johnson, of East Islip, formerly of Bay Shore and Central Islip, passed away on Saturday, August 10. She was 86.

A long time public servant and dedicated advocate, Johnson was elected as the Islip Town Clerk in 1991 and was the first African-American to hold an elected office in the Town of Islip's history. She held the position until her retirement in 2007.

She also served on the Central Islip Board of Education, becoming Vice-President during her second term.

"Throughout her life, and during her time in office, Joan has shown a tremendous commitment to education. She knows first-hand that education affords everyone the opportunity to succeed," Senator Phil Boyle said of Johnson in 2015. "She demonstrated this through her participation on various community-based organizations and involvement in education initiatives."

Johnson also became involved with the Central Islip-based Long Island Head Start Program starting in 1970 as social worker and later, as its director.

She also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the New York Institute of Technology. She received many awards and recognition throughout her life including the Phi Delta Kappa Friend of Education Award and an Honorary Doctor of Civil Laws degree from Dowling College in New York.

In addition, Johnson was also a candidate for the United States Congress.

She was predeceased by siblings Charles Maloney, Eugenia H. Mosley and Sharon Maloney.

She is survived by her husband Cleveland Johnson, Jr. as well as her children; Keith Johnson (Lula), Genevieve Johnson, Kelly Schaeffer (Calvin) and Cleveland Johnson, III (Melissa).

In addition she is survived by her grandchildren; Nicole, Ar-Verna, Grace, Joan A., Cora, Bethany, Jovian, Cleveland IV, Christian, Cameron and Sophia as well as her siblings June Christine Brown, Rodriguez Maloney, Christopher C. Maloney, Jr., Alfred S. Maloney and Joann Peoples.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in Joan's name to Long Island Head Start in commemoration of her fifty years of service to the organization.

Donations may be made to:

Long Island Head Start
Central Administration
98 Austin Street, Patchogue, NY 11772