Joan H. Spiegel

1929 - 2017

Joan H. Spiegel

AGE: 88 • West Long Branch

Joan Spiegel, 88, West Long Branch, passed away peacefully after a sudden illness Sunday, November 19th, surrounded by her family.

Joan was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, scholar, and teacher. In her younger years she was a Cub Scout Den Mother, advisor to Youth Against Pollution, and editor of the Frank Antonides School student newspaper. She was a longtime member of Takanassee Beach club. In her retirement years, she was an avid scholar of family history, competitive swimmer, an aqua fitness instructor, and world traveler with her beloved Len. In the last few years she served as Recording Secretary for the West Long Branch Leisure Club.

Joan was born in West Chester, PA and lived in Ohio, Michigan and Upstate New York before settling in West Long Branch in 1963. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Drew University with an BA in Classical Latin Literature in 1951 where she met the love of her life, Len Spiegel, whom she asked out for a Sadie Hawkins Day Dance. In 1977, she received her Master of Arts in Teaching, Summa Cum Laude, from Monmouth College. Joan retired from Frank Antonides School, West Long Branch where she taught Language Arts from 1965 to 1990. She loved language and books.

She was always considerate of others and valued them for their particular talents. This was reflected in the way she always designed and made presents for each person in the family, a task that was continually growing over the years.

Joan was predeceased by her husband, Leonard Spiegel; her son-in-law Michael Schaffner and her parents James & Alice Hahn. She is survived by her children Fred & Christie Spiegel, Mike & Eileen Spiegel, Martha & Steve Anderson, Melanie & Mark Mocerino and Lisa Spiegel; her sister Betty Fink, her grandchildren, Sarah & Joshua, Rachael, Chris, Jaime, Terra & Clif, Jeff & Tiffany, Kyle, Hannelore, Karli, Heidi, and Keziah; her great grandchildren Saige and Madeline; her nephew Tom and her niece Nancy.

Memorial gathering Sunday, November 26th 2:00-4:00 pm at the Woolley-Boglioli Funeral Home, 10 Morrell Street, Long Branch. Memorial service will begin at 4:00 pm. Contributions may be made in memory of Joan to Children's Literacy Foundation at clifonline.org. To share a favorite memory or messages of condolence, please visit Joan's Page of Tributes at www.woolleyboglioli.com.