Retired city teacher Joan Bessette dies at 79
Joan Bessette, a retired New York City school teacher and a devoted member of the Glen Cove Beautification Committee, died from a heart attack on June 12, at the age of 79. Bessette leaves behind a legacy of dedication, kindness, and environmental activism that touched many lives in the Glen Cove community.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens Village, Bessette’s passion for education and community service was evident early on. She pursued higher education at SUNY Brockport and Adelphi University, where she earned master’s degrees in reading and special education. Bessette began her teaching career in the late 1960s in Troy, NY, before becoming a substitute teacher in the New York City public school system. Her dedication to teaching and her commitment to her students marked her career and left a lasting impact on many young lives.
In 1984, Bessette moved to Glen Cove with her two sons, Steven and Brian. It was here that she found a community she would deeply invest in for the next four decades. Her love for Glen Cove was apparent in her 30-year commitment to the Beautification Committee. She was instrumental in numerous projects aimed at enhancing the city’s environment, including beach, street, and neighborhood cleanups, the installation of new welcome signs, and various planting initiatives. As president of the committee, Bessette expanded programs to educate both adults and children about protecting the environment. She also spearheaded collections of heavily worn clothing, blankets, towels, and stuffed animals for recycling, demonstrating her innovative approach to community service.
Bessette’s involvement in the Glen Cove community extended beyond her environmental efforts. She volunteered for local political campaigns, lending her time and energy to support candidates like Tom Suozzi and Pamela Panzenbeck. She was also a familiar face at the Feast of St. Rocco, where she helped prepare food for the event, and she was a founding member of the Glen Cove 9-Holers Club, contributing to the social fabric of the community.
Her sons, Brian and Steven, remember Bessette as an advocate for recycling and environmental awareness long before it became a widespread concern. At home, she instilled in them the importance of using cloth napkins and recycling used boxes, reflecting her lifelong commitment to sustainability.
Steven Bessette’s most cherished memory is of his mother taking him to his first concert in 1991—a free Paul Simon show in Central Park. “She couldn’t find a babysitter, so she took me along. It was an unforgettable experience, and I thanked her every day for it,” he reminisced.
Bessette’s friends and colleagues from the Beautification Committee remember her as a kind-hearted, sociable person who could get along with anyone.
“Joan had a really fun, sociable side,” Eve Lupenko, a former city council liaison to the committee, said. “Some of my best summer memories are of meeting with friends at Morgan Park’s Hooked and Bettered restaurant for dinner overlooking the Sound. I’ll miss my friend who I bonded with over our desire to protect the environment. I’ll never forget her frequent reminders to everyone to not throw disposable contact lenses down the sink or toilet because of the damage it would do in the oceans.”
City councilman Michael Ktistakis, the current liaison to the committee, highlights Bessette’s passion for bringing people together to beautify the city.
“Joan loved seeing a project come to fruition and always emphasized involving our youth. Her legacy will always guide us,” Ktistakis said. “Devotion is an understatement when having to describe a person who dedicated so much of her time efforts and love to our beloved Glen Cove. It was more of a passion for her to see a community come together and for us all to work as a team.”
