Joan A. Jamison

Jamison, Joan A. GUILDERLAND Joan A. Jamison, 77, formerly of Guilderland, passed away on Friday, October 8, 2008 at the Eddy Memorial in Troy after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer's disease. She was born in Pawtucket, R.I. and was the daughter of the late Everett and Ruth Pierce Aspinwall. Joan lived in the Albany area for nearly 50 years, and was widely known for her artistic endeavors in theater as well as a successful business career at Blue Shield of Northeast New York, where she was vice president of communications. She began her involvement in Capital District community theater in 1963 with the Slingerlands Community Players. She was the author of the original play Bar the Door With A Feather, which was premiered by the Slingerlands Players in 1966. Joan taught theater at St. Agnes School (later merged to become Doane Stuart) from 1968-1972, where she staged and produced a number of plays with the students. Her theatrical career expanded when she teamed with local playwright, director and journalist Martin Kelly to launch the Playwrights Production Company in 1970. She co-produced five new plays/musicals for presentation by this company off-Broadway (1970-1974); directed a new political play ("By The People") in Albany and at the Lambs' Club in New York; and co-produced a new musical presented at Hunter College, N.Y. in 1973. Joan was also co-founder of Riverview Entertainment Productions Inc., a professional dinner theater operation that produced performances in Albany at St. Andrew's Church and the Willows Country Club, from 1978-1991. Additionally, Joan co-produced touring musical revues, cabarets and mysteries for Riverview Entertainment Productions throughout the northeast from 1991 to 2002. She was the co-author of "The Recital," a mystery/comedy that has been touring for the past 18 years, appearing to hundreds of audiences throughout the northeast. Joan co-produced "Victory In Defeat," a history of Benedict Arnold's naval defense against a British armada on Lake Champlain in 1776. Following the 1999 premiere of this play in Whitehall, N.Y., the townspeople built The Bridge Theater over the last lock on Champlain Canal just south of Lake Champlain, which has been used ever since as a venue for newly written historical works. Riverview Entertainment Productions has produced plays each summer at The Bridge Theater. Throughout her theater career, Joan also wrote short stories and poetry, and was an editor/writer for the "Golden Fun Times," a monthly publication for senior citizens in the Capital District of New York. Joan was predeceased in 2002 by her husband, George H. Jamison Jr. She is survived by her children, Ruth Berkery and her husband Jim, George H. Jamison III and his wife Kathy; and three granddaughters, Simone, Bernadette and Caroline Jamison. Funeral services will be Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at St. Margaret Mary Church, Homestead St., Albany, where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Calling hours will be Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Newcomer Cannon Funeral Home, 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie (Rt. 155 -south of Central Ave). Interment will be in Albany Rural Cemetery. At the request of the family, tax deductible memorial contributions are suggested to the Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center, 2218 Burdett Avenue, Troy, NY 12180. Contributions will applied to the newly formed Joan A. Jamison Healing Touch Fund. To leave a special message for the family online, visit: NewcomerAlbany.com