Joanne Virginia Courtlandt Evans was born on August 30, 1931, in Morrisania Hospital, the Bronx New York, the daughter of Genevieve Courtlandt and William Skerritt. She was the youngest of the 7 children born to Genevieve; however Dorothy and Kenneth succumbed in early childhood leaving 5 surviving children in family comprised of Harryette, Katherine, William, Henry and Joan. The family lived in a brownstone at 125 West 132nd Street in Harlem for many years. Joan was a Harlem girl who developed lifelong friends from her block and neighborhood including Inez, Berniece, and June. She attended St. Aloysius Elementary School in Harlem with her brothers and graduated with the class of 1945. During her time at St. Aloysius and at the St. Benedict nursery run by the Handmaids of Mary, she met Mary Teresa Farrelly Jones who remained her best friend throughout her life. Joan attended Cathedral High School where she excelled at basketball and was a star of the team. She graduated from Cathedral in 1949 and enrolled in Brooklyn College as an English major.
While working part-time at Saks Fifth Avenue in the wrapping department, she met a handsome young man from Brooklyn, Edward M. Evans. They married in 1954 at St. Aloysius church and moved to Brooklyn. They welcomed a daughter Michele Kim in 1955 and moved to the Forest Houses in the South Bronx. During these early years she worked part-time as a typist at the Internal Revenue Service. The family expanded with the birth of Monica Kelly in 1960. While living at the Forest Houses, Joan was very active in the Tenants Association and other community and political activities in addition to raising her daughters. Joan decided that she wished to complete her education and return to work. She enrolled at the College for Human Services obtaining an Associate’s degree. She became a para-professional teacher taking a job at PS 146, the Pop Collins School in 1966. Joan loved teaching and was very good at it because of her love of learning. She subsequently matriculated at Hunter College earning her degree in Sociology with a minor in education in 1977. She then became a full-fledged teacher using her big personality and love of children to teach generations of students in the South Bronx. She furthered her education obtaining a master’s degree in special education with a concentration in reading. For 33 years, she worked to improve reading among the most challenged students in the neighborhood because she knew that reading was the foundation to their overall success in school. Many of her students went on to prestigious universities and career paths. Upon her retirement in 1999, she became a New York City Public School Mentor to New Teachers. This allowed her to share her expertise helping novice teachers gain and maintain classroom control as well as high expectation of their students. She continued in this role for 6 years finally retiring in 2005 at age 74.
In addition to her occupation as a teacher, she was an exemplary activist and contributor to her community. She and her family were active members of St. Augustine Church in the South Bronx. She was active in the Parent’s Association and one of the founding members of the Mother’s Guild. In addition, she became a girl scout leader initially leading the brownie troop but eventually leading the entire Girl Scout effort at the parish for 25 years well after her daughters had graduated from the school and left scouting. She also worked the polls on election day as a member of the League of Women Voters and was an active member of the United Federation of Teachers. Once the family moved to Co-op City in the Bronx, she became a member of the fledging parish, St. Michael’s serving as the Baptismal coordinator and was among the group of parishioners that continually pushed for the building of St. Michaels Church so that Mass would no longer be celebrated in Co-op City Meeting rooms. She was vice president of the Building 32 B Tenants association for many years organizing building holiday decorations, and Halloween trick or tatting for all the kids.
Joanne was a doting aunt to her many nieces and nephews and their spouses especially nephew Tony, her godchild and niece Cherie Pepper, and Robynne. She was a critical factor in the lives of her grandchildren Emeka and Caroline. She acted as Caroline’s first care giver and visited Maryland often to provide holiday care for Emeka allowing her to enchant all three of her granddaughters especially the teenage Jemeh who loved watching old movies with Grandy.
She leaves behind to mourn her larger-than-life presence her daughters Michele Kim and Monica Kelly, Son-in-law Charles Egwuagu granddaughters Emeka Egwuagu, Caroline Evans, and Jemeh Egwuagu Pius, grandson-in-law Sunny Pius, great grandchildren Cyrus Pius and TuTu Pius, a host of nieces and nephews as well as godchildren whom she particularly cherished. She leaves behind her dear friend and almost son Calvin McCoy and his family as well her remaining 2 childhood friends Berniece and June. Joan was a barrier breaker who saw the obstacles in life due her race and sex as mere hills that she would stomp through. Joan recognized no boundaries that could contain her joy, her intellect, or prevent her from accomplishing her goals. This is the foundation upon which she built her life, raised and loved her family, supported her friends and lived her Faith. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cathedral High School - Class of 1949 (New York City) https://cathedralhs.org/donate.
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