Joyce Louise Spencer of Northport died May 9 at the age of 95.
She was born in New Rochelle on Oct. 25, 1927, later graduating from New York University and began a life-long effort to help the disempowered and those less fortunate. Those included participating in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, assisting women in the workforce, working against domestic violence,
She served on the board of directors of the Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk (VIBS), a domestic violence prevention agency, for 12 years, first as secretary and then as president for four years. She served on other boards and committees as well: the Suffolk Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, AARP, Literacy Volunteers of America, United Way and the Suffolk County Democratic Committee. She retired from working as a social worker at the Veterans Administration Medical Service in Northport, and was state certified as a court evaluator.
In 1950, Ms. Spencer married Anthony E. Insolia, and they had three children. They divorced in 1979. A few years later, she met Philip C. Ingerman, her partner of 38 years.
In her retirement she attended the adult learning program The Round Table at Stony Brook University, and taught the course “News of the Day” there for many years, moderating lively discussions among the attendees. She made many enduring friends from the program with whom she traveled and interacted for years. In her leisure time, she loved to garden
She leaves her partner, Philip C. Ingerman of Northport; three children, Anne H. Smyers of Reston, VA, Robert S. Insolia of Bedford, NY, and Janet S. Insolia of Dover, NH.; five grandchildren, Julia Dary, Hudson Insolia, Kaitlan Ford, Abby Legere and Jake Ford; and two great-grandchildren, Markham Dary and Finn Legere; a sister, Virginia Spencer of Olive Branch Mississippi.
A memorial will be planned for a future date.