Jermain Johnson Anderson

Jermain Johnson Anderson, 95, passed peacefully on September 11, 2019 in her home at Princeton Windrows with her beloved husband Ellis at her side. She was born Jermain Duncan Johnson in Boston on February 16, 1924 to Madeline (Snelling) and George Frederick Betts Johnson and raised by her father George and stepmother Isabelle (Kahle) of Lewiston, New York. She attended Rosemary Hall School, Greenwich, Connecticut, and graduated from Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education in 1945 with a degree in physical therapy. She returned to Buffalo and worked at Buffalo Children’s Hospital where she met John F. Mueller. They were married in 1946 and had two children, Jermain Johnson (Jamie) and John Freeman, Jr (Johnnie). While in Buffalo, Jermain served on boards of hospital organizations, was a member of Junior League and was involved with Planned Parenthood.

The family moved to the Philadelphia area and lived there for six years, relocating to Princeton in 1957. Divorced in 1966, Jermain married Jack F. Andrews on  April 22, 1967 and gained three adult daughters. She taught third grade at Miss Mason’s School in Princeton from 1963 to 1982. Her teaching career continued at Princeton Day School until 1986, followed by tutoring at the school and in the volunteer program at a Trenton inner city school.

After Jack passed away in 1991, Jermain continued living in the Princeton area. She was a longtime, active member of Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, and while serving on the Session of the church, she met Ellis B. Anderson, another Session member. They were married in 1993 and Jermain gained two more adult daughters. Jermain had an active life of sports, church, and community service. In Princeton, Jermain served on the boards of The American Boy Choir School and the Princeton Present Day Club and was a volunteer at Princeton Hospital. She enjoyed sailing, fishing, skiing, tennis, and golf. Jermain and Ellis loved to travel the world, a highlight being their journey along the Old Silk Road from China. During retirement at Princeton Windrows, she enjoyed bridge, gardening, reading, and the cultural events available in the Princeton area. Piecing together jigsaw puzzles was a favorite pastime.

Jermain is survived by her husband of 26 years, Ellis B. Anderson; sister Georgia Pooley of Buffalo, New York; daughter and son-in-law, Jamie and Eric Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and son and daughter-in-law, John and Sally Mueller of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is also survived by stepdaughters Rebecca Smith and Katherine Nestor (Tom), Gwen Nacos (Tom), Gail Walraven, and Valerie Williams. Her beloved grandchildren include Hillary Aldassy, Emily Morey, Annabel Rangel, Taze Mueller, and step grandchildren Ben Smith, Allison Fontan, Tyler Fontan, and Harrison Fontan. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren, four step great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. The loss the family feels is eased by the special joy of knowing her love for others, which was returned by so many friends and family who will cherish lovely memories of Jermain.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made to the charity of your choice in honor of Jermain. A memorial service will be held at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey, on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 11 a.m. Funeral arrangements are being made by The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home.

Nancy Carole Schaefer

Nancy Carole Schaefer, 74, passed away at her home in Princeton on September 1, 2019, after a period of illness, in the company of her loving family.

Nancy was born in Newark, NJ, on February 1, 1945, the only daughter of James and Margaret Schaefer. She grew up in Plainfield, NJ, attended the Hartridge High School, and graduated from Marymount University in Tarrytown, NY, with a BA in English in 1967.

She then attended the USC Film School to train as a sound recordist. She pursued a career in the film industry for several years, working on commercials, documentaries (including one in Nigeria and another in Zimbabwe), a feature film by an African American production company, and on Frank Zappa’s film 200 Motels.

She moved to Princeton in 1976 to be married, and followed her media interests with work in publishing before becoming a mother in 1983. Around 1990 she began teaching art to incarcerated teens, first in programs funded by NJ State grants, and later as a full-time teacher at the NJ Training School near Jamesburg. Her last, ongoing, project is a documentary on Princeton sculptor Bob Jenkins.

Nancy was a devout and lifelong Catholic, and for several decades attended services at the Aquinas Institute as well as St. Paul’s Church in Princeton.

Nancy is survived by Kirk McDonald, her husband of 43 years; her two children, Alex McDonald and Owen Schaefer; and two grandchildren, Han and Rei Schaefer.

A Memorial Mass will be held at the Princeton University Chapel, 2 p.m., Friday, September 20, followed by a reception, 3:30-6 p.m., at Prospect House (University Faculty Club).

Her ashes will be interred at 11 a.m., Saturday, September 21, in the St. Anthony Mausoleum of the Holy Cross Burial Park, Jamesburg, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Nancy Carole Schaefer fund of the Arts Council of Princeton, http://artscouncilofprinceton.org/donate/support-acp/special-funds-memorial-gifts/.

Joyce Beldon Turner
1949–2019

Joyce Turner, age 70, longtime resident of Princeton, NJ, passed away at the Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, due to complications following a surgery she had undergone two days previously.

Joyce is survived by Ed Turner, her husband of over 48 years, whom she met in 1969; by their sons Alex Turner and Danny Turner as well as the latter’s wife Jessica Turner, whom she loved like a daughter; her 2-year-old grandson Dylan Turner, who was the unrivaled joy of her life in her final years; her sister Debby Herritt; her brother Rob Beldon (Lori); and her brother-in-law Scott Turner (Erica). Throughout her childhood and adult years she was exceptionally close to her uncle and aunt, Ed and Laney Ellis. She was preceded in death by both of her parents, Mickey and Sidney Beldon of Newton, MA, as well as by both of her parents-in-law, George and Gladys Turner of Knoxville, TN. Joyce was quite family-centered and was a devoted and beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother (or “Mimi” as Dylan called her), daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and niece.

Joyce was born and raised in the Boston, MA, area and spent significant periods of her life residing in Pasadena, CA, and in South Brunswick, NJ. She moved to Princeton first in 1975 and then returned permanently in 1987 after a decade-long absence. Her early schooling was in Newton, MA, and after graduating from Newton South High School in 1967, she attended Lesley College in Cambridge, MA, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1971.

From shortly after her college graduation until the time of her death, she worked as an educator in many capacities, from school board member to teacher to volunteer aide in various school settings, and at every level from pre-school to high school, mostly in public schools but also for a few years at private schools in California. For the past 19 years, she worked as a special education teacher at Princeton High School, having been certified in that specialty in 2001 based on graduate studies at Rider College. Her engagement with students routinely extended far beyond the classroom, and she was a passionate advocate for all students and their well-being in every possible way she could. Many consider her to have had a deep and crucial positive influence on their lives.

In addition to her work as an educator, Joyce was an active, enthusiastic, and influential member of numerous civic groups and other local organizations wherever she lived. In Princeton these included the Minority Education Committee; Not In Our Town; the Princeton Community Housing Board; Springboard, Inc. (which she directed for several years) at the Princeton Library; the Co-op Nursery School Board; and the P’nai Or congregation; among others. In the 1980s she was twice elected to the South Brunswick Board of Education on which she served for five years. Beyond her efforts through such organized groups, Joyce frequently took a strong personal interest and role in the lives of both students and other young people with whom she came into contact, either professionally or socially. She was even given the affectionate nickname “Mama Turner” by a group of young Japanese astronomers who spent time in Princeton in the 1990s.

Outside of her work and family, Joyce was an avid traveler, visiting 46 U.S. states and five continents plus many island nations. The Boston Red Sox, casino gambling, mahjong, crocheting, and reading were among her numerous interests. She was exceptionally passionate politically with views solidly situated on the left wing of the Democratic Party for her whole adult life. Irrepressible laughter, a quick smile, enthusiasm, quiet determination to fight for social justice, unshakable conviction that she knew its nature, deep concern for the problems of others, and a sunny disposition were among her defining qualities as a person.

Through ten major surgeries in less than three years, she struggled fiercely against a persistent infection in her right hip that ultimately took her life. Her courage, determination, and positive attitude during her illness inspired all those around her. Her passing has left the Universe a far less bright, happy, kind, and loving place.

A public memorial service to celebrate Joyce’s life and accomplishments will be held on October 19, 2019 from 2-6 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton worship center (50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540). Donations to a memorial fund being established in her honor and to support at-risk and special needs students in the Princeton Public Schools are requested in lieu of flowers or other material expressions of sympathy. Please make checks payable to “Memorial of Joyce Turner” and mail them to Alex Turner, PO Box 22302, Oakland, CA 94623.