Joyce Levine

Joy Levine passed away at the age of 99 in Winston-Salem, NC. A mistake on her May 3, 1926 Brooklyn, NY birth certificate recorded her name as Madeline Joyce Carp. To her parents, Ida and Rubin Carp, their daughter was never a mistake; she was first and foremost always their JOY. She was preceded in death by her parents, her older brother Gene Carp (Doris), her husband of 40+ years, Seymour Levine, and her good friend and companion Samuel Rafelson.

She is survived by her son Eli Levine (Samira Didos) and daughter Elise Wile (Jim Wile), her beloved grandchildren Lindsay Wile and Greg Wile (Alejandra), sweet step-granddaughter Natasha Ritsma, her delightful great- grandsons Jeremy and Daniel Wile, her California niece, Merry Mulein (Jay) and devoted nieces, Mira Form and Rae and Aviva Ehrlich, all of whom matched Joy’s feisty NJ spirit with their own.

Joy graduated from Battin High School in Elizabeth, NJ, an all-girls’ public school, and from N.J.’s Montclair State Teachers College in 1946.

After a whirlwind romance of several months, she married a navy veteran, Seymour Levine, on Feb. 1, 1948. Together, they moved to the wilds of East Brunswick, NJ, built a house where they raised their children, and spent their entire married life.

As a family, they enjoyed numerous camping trips across the country, where they visited many national monuments and caves and took in the beauty of our country, from the rocky shores of Maine to the beaches of Florida to the redwood forests of California.

A big supporter of the growing Women’s Liberation Movement in the 1960s, Joy juggled teaching 2nd and 3rd grades and raising her family. When her children were grown she and her Seymour took up square dancing, and they also embarked on Elderhostel “learning trips” throughout Europe.

With gusto Joy threw herself into retirement. She was an active member of the East Brunswick Senior Center, delivered books to community members, taught and took exercise classes, and volunteered at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. One of her most unusual volunteering activities was participating in a high school project in which she was paired with students who interviewed her about her life. Joy’s memories of having milk delivered by a horse-drawn wagon as well as having blocks of ice delivered for the family’s wood and metal icebox were always met with the students’ delight.

Right after Joy’s 90th birthday she made her way to Arbor Acres Retirement Community in Winston Salem, NC to be closer to her daughter and family. There she attended concerts and plays, sang in the Sharps and Flats choir, went on field trips, swam nearly daily, worked out in the gym, and taught exercise classes. She will be remembered there as an outgoing, joyful, welcoming member of the community, an exercise guru, and by her family as an amazing, generous, high-spirited mother and grandmother who led a happy, healthy, and well-lived life.

In place of flowers, you might like to make a donation to the charity of your choice in Joy’s name.