Margaret Joan Mcphillips

Margaret Joan McPhillips, 89, of Kirkland Village, Bethlehem, PA and formerly of Midland Park, NJ, died on March 1, 2018. She was born September 15, 1928 in West Orange, NJ; daughter of the late Cornelius and Margaret (Kelly) McPhillips.

Joan was a 1950 graduate of Newark State Teachers College where she earned her BS in Art Education. Upon graduation she began her teaching career at East Hampton High School in New York where she taught art. In 1954, she returned to New Jersey and continued as an art teacher at a number of elementary schools. While teaching, she also earned her MS in Art Education from Newark State Teachers College in 1957. After a 35 year career in teaching, Joan retired from the Ridgewood Public Schools in 1985, having taught there for 19 years.

In addition to her teaching, Joan was involved in many theater productions at the High School and in the community. Her summers were spent traveling to many colleges and universities in the US and Europe to study various forms of art mediums. Joan also spent time in the summers in her beloved “cabin” on Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton. In her retirement, she taught adult art classes and gave private lessons. Joan loved animals and was involved in dog obedience training and was certified as an Animal Control Officer. Her biggest adventure was going on a “Millennium Cruise” aboard a 480 passenger ship from November, 1999 to March, 2000 which she wrote about regularly as a special correspondent to the Ridgewood News.

She will be dearly missed by her oldest brother, Cornelius Francis McPhillips, of Phoenix, AZ; and her youngest brother, Gerald Patterson McPhillips and his wife, Mary of Culpeper, VA. Joan was pre-deceased by brothers, William and wife, Carol; John and wife, Doris; Brian and wife, Shirley; and sister-in-law, Lucille. She is also survived by 14 nieces and nephews and a great many grand-nieces and nephews who always said “The party doesnt start til Aunt Joan gets here!"

A funeral mass will be held at Holy Family Church, 1 Lloyd Avenue, Florham Park, NJ at 11 am on March 10. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover, NJ. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life luncheon at Luigi's, 434 Ridgedale Avenue, East Hanover, NJ at 1:30 pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to Kirkland Village Employee Appreciation fund to benefit the wonderful staff who cared for Joan through her last illness. 1 Kirkland Village Circle, Bethlehem, PA 18017 - attn. Business Office.

Cemetery
Gate of Heaven Cemetery
225 Ridgedale Avenue
East Hanover NJ 07936
US

Mass of Christian Burial
Saturday, March 10, 2018
11:00 AM
Holy Family Church
1 Lloyd Avenue
Florham Park NJ 07932
US

Funeral HomeConnell Funeral Home, Inc.
245 East Broad St.
Bethlehem PA - 18018
US
610-868-8531