Margaret Joy Stephens, 97, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 18, 2024, in Phoenixville, PA, where she moved in 2022 to be near her family. However, she always considered herself to be a New Jersey resident, having lived most of her life in Elizabeth, Colonia, Roselle Park, and Bridgewater.
Margaret (who was known to her family and friends by her middle name, Joy) was born February 3, 1927 in Elizabeth, NJ to Margaret (Leonard) and Arthur H. Brandenburg. A sister, Lois, was born 5 ½ years later. She was predeceased by her parents and her husband, William G. Stephens, as well as by two companions in her later years, John Bernie and John Stephenson.
She is survived by her sister, Lois M. Beck of Oakton, VA.; daughter and son-in-law, Lee and Robert (Bob) Wollenberg of Phoenixville, PA, grandchildren, Jennifer L. Wollenberg (Andrei Redko) of Phoenixville, PA; Jason W. Wollenberg (Hong Tang) of Chester Springs, PA, and two great-granddaughters, Anya G. Redko and Lienna J. Wollenberg.
Joy grew up in Elizabeth, NJ where her father was well known as a music teacher, conductor, organist, and director of the music department for the Elizabeth, NJ school system. Joy and her sister, Lois, were taught to play piano and many band and orchestra instruments by their father. As was typical at that time, Joy’s mother was a stay-at-home mom, busy cooking, baking, and sewing clothes for the family. As a young girl and a teenager, Joy liked to go to the movies, bowl, dance, roller skate and ice skate with friends. When she was in high school, she met William (Bill) Stephens through her church youth group, and they began dating.
After graduating from Battin High School (an all-girls public school in Elizabeth, NJ) in 1944, she attended The Women’s College of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, graduating in 1948. When Bill Stephens came home on leave in December 1948, they were married and she moved with him to Germany, where he was stationed in the US Army.
While living in Germany, their daughter, Lee, was born in the US Army Hospital, Munich, Germany. Joy returned to the USA with Lee in January 1952 after her husband died following a brief illness.
After living briefly in Colonia, NJ, in 1957 Joy bought and moved into a home in Roselle Park, NJ, where she lived until 1995. While in Roselle Park, Joy earned her master’s degree in library service at Rutgers University. Her career as a school librarian spanned 31 years, first working briefly at Cleveland Junior High School in Elizabeth, before becoming the school librarian at Roselle Park High School, where she worked until her retirement. She always enjoyed getting to know all the students, encouraging them to find books they would enjoy and helping them with research projects. She also served as an advisor to the HS girls bowling team. She was one of the chaperones for the RPHS German Club’s summer trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 1966.
As Lee was growing up, Joy and Lee enjoyed trips to museums, attended many types of shows in New York City, spent time visiting and traveling with family, and enjoyed trips within the United States and to Germany.
Joy’s interests included reading, playing the piano and French horn, composing music, traveling, genealogy and dancing in several international folk dancing groups. She also loved going into New York City, which was an easy bus ride from Roselle Park. In NYC, Joy frequently attended events at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and many of the museums. For many years she was an active member of the New York Society for Ethical Culture in New York City.
Joy was an accomplished musician, able to play most instruments, but she especially enjoyed the piano, French horn, and later in life, handbells. For many years, she performed with the Elizabeth City Orchestra, Union County Symphony Orchestra, and was an active professional musician of Local 151 of the American Federation of Musicians.
Joy had a wide range of interests, which led her to active participation in numerous organizations, including the American Theater Organ Society (ATOS), the Garden State Theater Organ Society (GSTOS), the League of Women Voters of Roselle-Roselle Park, the Gold Star Wives of America, and the Westfield Genealogy Society. She also served a five-year term on the (Roselle Park) Veterans Memorial Library Board of Trustees and was active on the Roselle Park Council on the Arts for several years. In addition, she was a member of various education associations (NJEA, RPEA, NEA and UCEA).
As a result of an interest in and appreciation for the value of parliamentary procedures in expediting business meetings, Joy studied parliamentary procedures, joining first the Cranford Unit of Parliamentarians and then the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) after passing one of their exams. She served as Parliamentarian for various local and national organizations, including The Gold Star Wives of America, The ATOS, and GTOS.
Joy also enjoyed time with her family. She had a close relationship with her parents, in-laws, and her daughter’s family. When her grandchildren, Jennifer and Jason, were growing up, Joy regularly spent time with them, attended their school and sporting events and introduced them to museums, shows and cultural events in NYC.
She remained close friends with many of her Battin High School Class of ’44 classmates and was an active member of their reunion committee, which held frequent class reunions until 2015.
In her later years, she was a member of Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, Pluckemin, NJ.
After moving from her home in Roselle Park in 1995 to a continuing care community (Arbor Glen, later known as Laurel Circle) in Bridgewater, NJ, she continued to be very active in groups there, including the chorus, movie committee, library committee, Wii bowling, and even volunteered as a front desk assistant when Arbor Glen first opened.
During her years at Arbor Glen/Laurel Circle, she developed close and loving friendships with two very special people. First, with John Bernie, then following his death, with John Stephenson. In both cases, those relationships brought a great deal of happiness to her life and to our families.
When Joy’s grandchildren moved to Chester County, PA several years ago, her daughter and son-in-law decided to also move to Pennsylvania from New Jersey. Once the whole family was living in this area, they moved to Spring Mill Senior Living, an assisted living and memory care facility in Phoenixville, PA. While living there, Joy was an active participant in many of their activities, such as Wii bowling, musical events, and scenic drives.
Joy was curious, smart, and always interested in learning new things and expanding her world. She was compassionate and caring, always willing to help a friend. Her pleasant personality, smile and sense of humor were with her until the end of her life. Her family has been blessed and enriched by her presence.
Memorial services will be held on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 11 AM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 104 S Village Avenue, Exton, PA 19341. Visitation will be from 10 – 11 AM prior to the service at the church. To view the live stream of the service at 11, (Please check back here for the link closer to the date of the service).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joy’s memory to Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, PO Box #402 Pluckemin, NJ 07978 or the charity of your choice.
