Joan S. Schulhafer

Joan Susan Schulhafer, a longtime resident of Mahopac NY and formerly of Roselle NJ, passed away on March 19, 2013 at the age of 84. She was born in Jersey City, NJ on August 4, 1928, the daughter of John and Helen Tombler. Joan earned her Master Degree of Education from Seton Hall University, and her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University. Joan first taught in the Scotch Plains NJ school district. She taught first grade at Fulmar Road Elementary School in the Mahopac School District for over twenty years. During the course of her teaching career she was named Teacher of the Year more than once before her retirement in 1993. On July 23, 1960 Joan married Arthur J. Schulhafer at St. Joseph the Carpenter Church in Roselle NJ. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her sons Robert Schulhafer and Paul Schulhafer, both of Mahopac, her daughter Ellen Johnston, son in law John Johnston and granddaughters Susan and Kathryn Johnston of Lagrange NY, her brother Eugene Tombler of Michigan, her sisters Mary Ocello of Summit NJ and Sr. Elizabeth Tombler, SSJ of Roselle NJ. Her brother, Rev. John W. Tombler died in 1995. Visiting hours will be held on Friday March 22 from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 pm at Joseph J. Smith Funeral Home located in Mahopac, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday March 23, 2013 at 10 am at St. John The Evangelist Church in Mahopac. Interment will follow at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Putnam Valley, NY. Wife, Mother, Sister, Aunt, God Mother and most important, an example of what unfailing love stands for. Joan's love of life spilled over into everything she did. As a teenager, she was always helping her mother take care of the younger children and with the daily running of the household. Joan volunteered to work with infants at Walburg Orphanage. Joan helped her mother raise enough money for the building of an extension of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in NJ. Joan helped so many children and young adults to learn self confidence in themselves and gave them the power to read and write. Her classrooms were busy, fun and musical. She was a teacher of children "who could not learn", who would act out in other classes but not hers. A natural born teacher. She was a highly respected educator. She was instrumental in establishing Fulmar Road School as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Joan participated in many activities throughout her life. Some of which were the Altar Rosary Society in NJ and NY, politics and School Representative for the Teachers Union. Joan sang in her church choir in NJ, and she sang in the adult Church Choir at St John the Evangelist Church in NY. For several years she was a member of a bowling league in Jefferson Valley. The love for Long Beach Island started as a child. Joan traveled on the bus with her family to LBI on yearly vacations. She was the first in her family to have a car. Trips to Long Beach Island then became more frequent. Joan was always working, giving of herself, celebrating life, birthdays and loving others with joy and happiness. For those of us Blessed and Lucky enough to have known her, she lived her life with grace, gentle words, kindness, joy, love and laughter. We will cherish her memories forever and hope to carry on her legacy of unfailing love.