Joyce Claire Robinson

Joyce C. Robinson was born in Washington Heights, "Sugar Hill", New York City, on August 20, 1922, as an only child, to Ernest and Nellie Carpenter.

She went to elementary school P. S. 5, in NYC, from September 1928 to June 1934. She continued on to middle school at P. S. 164 from September 1934 to June 1937. From there she went to Central Commercial High School and graduated in 1941, with a secretarial degree.

In February 1946, she married James P. Robinson, a World War II veteran. Their first child, James P. Robinson II, was born on December 5, 1948. Their second child, Janis, was born on April 20, 1950.

During her marriage, Joyce had various part-time, clerical jobs: The Veteran's Administration Hospital, NYS Unemployment Insurance, and U. S. Civil Service Commission. In September 1952, she continued her study at Jane Addams Evening Trade Dress Making School, in The Bronx, and received her certificate on April 1953. Joyce enjoyed using patterns to make her girls dresses, as well as drapes, for the windows.

In May 1954, her third child, Joanne, was born. At that time, Joyce became a full-time homemaker while her husband became a New York City Transit conductor. (He eventually became a motormen.)

Still living in The Bronx, in 1959, Joyce became a New York City Department of Correction Officer. She held this position until 1972.

A passion had developed towards criminal justice, and Joyce began, part-time studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice from 1974 to 1979. (She also held a job as a Police Administrative Aide in the New York City Police Department from 1974 - 1979.) However, her studies were interrupted when her husband retired from Transit, and they elected to relocate to Florida in 1980.

Once there, She attended Miami Dade Community College, and graduated in 1981 with an Associate of Arts/Associate of Science degree. Afterwards, she was admitted, part-time, to Florida International University, and worked towards her Bachelor of Science degree.

Even though retired, life in Florida never stopped her from continuing her education, or working and meeting new people, she never gave up her dream for her college degree.

By 1989, her beloved husband passed away, and she returned to New York City where she joined the Bay Senior Center in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. She started her life as a widow, and began making new friends.

Yet, her educational pursuit never stopped. Her greatest accomplishment was the completion of her Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice degree, from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, in 2001, at the age of 79!

Joyce enjoyed gardening, sewing, playing Bingo, and, back in the day, breeding American Kennell Club full-bred German Sheppards. Her favorite singers were Billie Holiday and Gloria Lynn.

A devoted wife, mother, daughter, grand and great grandmother, Joyce is survived by: her loving children, Janis, Joanne; (Her son, James, a Viet Nam veteran, passed in October 2020.); her grandson and his wife, Christopher and Tiare; her great-grand children, Kayla and Cléo; and friends and neighbors.