In the late 80s I was teaching a primary self contained communication handicapped class in the classroom next to Joyce. Our principal had assigned my class separate schedules for lunch, art, music, and gym. Those poor kids never interacted with anyone but our small class. It took Joyce less than a week to take me under her wing, and convince the administration to combine our classes together whenever possible. Within a few months we were team teaching a few subjects and operating like one big happy group. She was a visionary, and an incredibly talented teacher loved by her kids, their parents, and all her colleagues. Over the years her wisdom and friendship meant so much to me. She will be sorely missed!  Rest in peace, dear friend ❤️. Iris F ~ Edison, NJ

The last two summers Carol would bring Joyce to her front yard after they were thru with their thrifting for the day (sometimes I joined them).  When I knew Joyce was there, I would join them for a visit.  Sometimes we played scrabble and I think we taught her Rummikub, which if I remember correctly she won the first time she played! I will miss Joyce and those visits.

Aunt Joyce and Uncle Al were cheerleaders of education.   The support they gave me through my educational journey will never be forgotten.  
I will always continue to value the importance of education they instilled within me and look to continue to pay it forward in the generations to come

i’ve never known anyone as purely good as Joyce. She wasn’t flashy about it. She was extremely humble, and even her humility was pure. There was nothing false about it, the good she did was what she wanted to focus on never on the good that she was.
People use the saying I’m glad to know you all the time but it was never more true of anyone than it was of her. She literally made you feel life was better momentarily just by being in her presence, by her existance in the world, and because of her intrinsic goodness, it was.
It was an honor to be her friend, someone she thought well of - though not because it was a rare thing for her to think well of anyone - she’s spoke well or found the good in almost everybody. It was an honor because of who and what she was, you were simply better in association with the level of goodness that was Joyce.
i will selfishly miss that goodness in my life, but will carry as much of it as i can fwd in her honor, for the honor it was to have known her.
if there is a heaven - i have no doubt Joyce got a very warm welcome.

So  much more than a teacher, she touched me, she seemed to have touched everyone and she brought out not what made one feel special, but  what was special, in everyone. I remember all of my teachers and there was only my Mrs. Tomlinson who I recalled and regaled from age 9 and today. 
I can still remember her sitting at the front of the room day after day, reading us Charlotte' s Web; the unwavering smile , the warmth, the love. She was the first teacher to not find me annoying and left me believing that I was likeable. I was fortunate enough to have seen her once about 10 years ago for ice cream  and most recently this past spring out for lunch and then in her fantastic  "looking" room. Still then she shone, kind hearted and vivacious of character.  It may be hard to imagine the impact she had on me and I suspect there are many hundreds of others.
Funny story; one day about three years ago a friend  called me, said he was in the area and wanted to meet for coffee. During coffee I shared a Mrs. Tomlinson story later returned to my office. The phone was ringing. Guess who had dialed a wrong number? Really.  She was unearthly and her spirit was irrepressible and lovely, and I loved her.  We were all so lucky to have shared and I will carry a piece of her spirit forever.

I think of Mrs. Tomlinson often.  She was my favorite teacher.  I believe it was 1963. Two memories come to mind when I think of her. The first one was the day after the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan's show. At lunch (most of us went home to eat and then came back to play) a group of us led by Mrs. Tomlinson walked around Washington School singing all the songs we heard the night before. Another memory is when our class had a picnic at her house behind Bell's Drug store. She showed us tricks with her cocker spaniels. So when I got married and got a dog, it had to be a cocker spaniel. We went to visit her often. She was one of a kind. God blessed all of us that knew her and I know there is a special place for her in heaven.

For many years Joyce volunteered in my classroom at BWB.  The second graders eagerly anticipated her weekly visits.  They adored her. “Where’s Mrs. Tomlinson?  Is she coming today?”  Joyce was in DEMAND!

One of her weekly visits involved learning 14 lines of Shakespeare’s Song of the Witches:  “Double, double toil and trouble…”  I wondered how she was going to accomplish this………………….

Joyce walked into the classroom with a life size skeleton dressed in black.  Nothing was said about the skeleton.  He was placed on a chair facing the children.  Joyce gave each student a copy of the 14 lines and had the class read those lines aloud with her.  The party began when Joyce started speaking those lines into a microphone, and Mr. Skeleton began moving his mouth simultaneously to her words!  The students were mesmerized.  

The deal was that Mr. Skeleton would only “talk” when a student read the lines into the microphone.  No one missed the opportunity to do that, and by the end of the lesson, they knew those lines.  “Double, double toil and trouble”  was the chant Joyce heard for many weeks after her lesson.  “See how smart you are.  You know Shakespeare,” she said.

The students and I were the lucky beneficiaries of her magic.  She inspired learning naturally.

Your love of teaching is your gift, Joyce.  Thank you.  Katie


*Song of the Witches: “Double, double toil and trouble”  
By William Shakespeare   (from Macbeth)
  
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a broth, boil and bubble.  

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

I have so many memories filled with love of Mrs. Tomlinson. She was my 4th grade teacher at Washington Elementary School- but she was so much more than a classroom teacher. She brought us into her home and her heart.  
Gosh, groups of us would walk to her home, stopping at the A&P grocery store on the way to have dinner at her home. I was so fortunate to have her in my life as I recall her often to friends as one of my favorite teachers who left an incredible mark on my life. She was a treasure and May Her Memory Be Blessed 

Bari Moskowitz Gulsby

My heart goes out to Joyce's family. She was my teacher and friend and the reason I am an artist today. She never tried to squelch my drawing in class and encouraged my talent at a time when most kids give up drawing. As long as I did my assignments and kept my grades up she set aside time for me to draw cartoons during school time.

I loved her like a parent and I will always treasure her spirit, humor and kindness the rest of my days. I was in 4th grade in 1969 it was my favorite year of my education . She was a special teacher and she touched my life in such a positive way and I will never forget her.

I will always remember Joyce for making a plate to go from everyone’s plate (once you were done of course) while at a restaurant to bring home to her outdoor animals.  She always made sure they were taken care of!  May you rest in eternal peace, forever!

OBITUARY

Joyce Tomlinson

7 August, 1931 – 22 December, 2024

Doane Beal & Ames

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