Joyce S. Hershberger, 88, passed away, surrounded by her family, on Saturday, January 14, 2023 at UPMC Williamsport Hospital, following a brief illness. Surviving is her devoted husband of 60 years, Harold.
Born May 27, 1934 in Williamsport, she was a daughter of the late Frederick D. and Elsie Tepel Simpson. Joyce’s dedication to her family and community was truly inspiring. This is her story, told in her words.
When she was very young, one of my daughters made a book for me as a Christmas present telling the story of the family – describing me she said: “my mother runs the vacuum cleaner and goes to a lot of meetings!” Out of the mouth of babes! For the past sixty plus years my volunteer positions have occupied a great deal of my time.
My college training at Penn State was in elementary education and I was first a kindergarten, then second grade teacher and finally spent five years teaching first grade at Lose School. When Bud and I were married, I left teaching to take care of Pamela and then Susan, and I made a commitment to being a volunteer. Education has been a continuing concern for me all my life and many of the things I have been involved in have been tied to education and children.
I have served as a board member and then president of the Junior League of Williamsport and was elected to serve on the very first Area Council. In addition, I have been president of the Williamsport Branch, AAUW, and was named woman of the year; Visiting Nurses Association; YWCA; Clio Club; Cochran PTO among others. I was state chairman of the AAUW convention; a board member of Hemlock Council, Girl Scouts of America; board member of the Williamsport Home; and president of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra.
I served several years as president, the first woman to do so, of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church council, and was also a member of the board of trustees of Gettysburg College. I was a very early board member and vice chairman of the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy and a member of the board of Habitat for Humanity.
Probably one of the two most challenging volunteer positions I have had was serving as a Williamsport Area School District board member; certainly, the two years I served as president “built my character.” In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: “a woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong it is until it is in hot water!”
Another challenge I faced was my commitment to: “speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.” My service to the Lycoming County SPCA included 35 years as that organization’s president. My proudest accomplishment included leading the fund drive to build the current animal shelter.
As her story illustrates, Joyce has spent a lifetime actively volunteering in her community, never refusing an opportunity to show leadership in often challenging circumstances. Unfortunately, women of her time were not expected to be more than housewives and volunteers. She could have run the world!
Besides her husband Harold, Joyce is survived by two children, Pamela (Michael) and Susan (Jim), both of Williamsport; three grandchildren, Emily Newcomer; James Newcomer Jr.; and Sean Jensen; and two step-grandchildren, Ryan Jensen and Katlin Jensen. Joyce is also survived by her four younger siblings, Fred (Anne) Simpson of Berwyn, PA; Nancy (Donald) Dick of Westlake Village, CA; Sharon (Mort) Inger of Wellfleet, MA; and Kathy Simpson (Tony) Delling, of Pasadena, CA.
A service of remembrance and celebration of Joyce’s life will be held on what would have been her 89th birthday, Saturday, May 27, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 142 Market Street, Williamsport, with the Reverend Brian Vasey officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lycoming County SPCA, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, or the James V. Brown Library.
Arrangements are being handled by Crouse Funeral Home. To share a memory or sign a register book, please visit http://www.crousefuneralhome.com.
This quote from Hamlet was a favorite of Joyce’s and is especially appropriate: “Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
