A pioneer for transformation and a force of energy
by Maggie Fitzgibbon
A pioneer for transformation and a force of energy – that’s how Joyce Lobene will forever be remembered. Joyce Lobene died Sunday, November 2 at the age of 75.
Joyce’s community service began when she was a teenager and attended Our Lady of Mercy High School where she was involved in a myriad of school clubs. At a young age, politics was an interest she pursued.
“She rode in a car with John F. Kennedy when he was a senator and paid a visit to Rochester during the 1960 presidential campaign,” said Mike Lobene, one of Joyce’s three sons.
She continued her calling to serve after her marriage to Tom Lobene and their move to Spencerport in 1965. She was involved with the Young Democrats League and the development of the Ogden Senior Center. After her youngest child started school, she started work as a study hall monitor at the Trowbridge building, a school for ninth graders. Jim Lobene, Joyce’s oldest son, described her as a force to be reckoned with during her days of supervising young teenagers.
She subsequently turned her focus to real estate where she worked as a real estate agent and broker for over 35 years. The list of her sales awards is a long one – she was lauded as one of the top agents for both Century 21 Real Estate and Nothnagle Realtors many times. Over the years, Joyce fostered her love for Spencerport and she served as a Spencerport Village Trustee and became involved in many community organizations such as the Spencerport Area Chamber of Commerce, the Spencerport Rotary, and was an active member of St. John the Evangelist Church.
She became Mayor of Spencerport in 2009 and served until her resignation in July of this year due to health reasons. Lobene’s contributions to Spencerport are not just a list of developments and new businesses; her efforts made Spencerport a growing and vital community.
Joyce spearheaded revitalization of the Slayton Avenue Village Plaza and also the area along Union Street in the heart of Spencerport. This renewal transformed empty storefronts and a vacant grocery store into bustling businesses, which now provide economic growth to the community. Her successful lobbying efforts convinced CSX Railroad to remove a deteriorating railroad bridge from the village. Under her leadership, developments along the Erie Canal were made. These include a dock near the canal bridge, pump holding tanks for boats, boardwalk linked to a gazebo and entertainment area, and a handicapped-accessible fishing pier, all in an effort to help visitors discover what Spencerport can offer. Her work with the Spencerport Chamber of Commerce included not just a term as president but she served for many years as a board member.
David Moore is a local accountant and vice-president of the Spencerport Chamber of Commerce. He describes Joyce as the matriarch of Spencerport.
“The village was such an integral part of her life, whether it be through her career in real estate, through her community involvement, through her church, and through her volunteering. Spencerport was always a factor in her decision-making and commitments,” Moore said.
Lobene’s sons, Mike and Jim, believe that while the list of their mother’s contributions is long, much of this work was years in the making.
“One of her biggest contributions was the development of the plaza on Slayton Avenue and the improvements along the canal. Much of this work happened while she served with the chamber. Then as mayor, she was able to see that work come to fruition and completion,” Jim said. “She approached many different vendors to take over the vacant store and finally orchestrated the deal with Morgan Management (then owners of the Slayton Avenue Plaza) and Tops Supermarkets,” Mike added.
For those who knew Joyce Lobene, all would agree that she was small in stature but big in drive and spirit, which is the reason for all of her accomplishments in her 70 plus years. Both sons describe their mom as action-orientated.
“Mom was someone who liked to get things done. Her actions spoke louder than her words. Last year, when the dismantling of the CSX railroad tracks and bridge was stalled, she called Senators George Maziarz and Chuck Schumer and asked for their help. Then she called Governor Cuomo and requested his support,” Mike said. And needless to say the bridge came down and the tracks were dismantled. “She always credited her Catholic upbringing and her Mercy High School education with giving her the foundation for her convictions,” Jim said. Always the advocate and promoter, Joyce was always willing to head up a project and was not afraid to ask anyone to help.
“At Joyce’s request, I presented to Village Boards to garner support for the plaza development and new supermarket. She was on that project day and night. She wanted that store for the Village of Spencerport and she succeeded,” David Moore said.
Joyce’s accomplishments prove her love for improvements to the Village of Spencerport.She took pleasure in engaging in conversation whatever the topic might be, including controversial subjects. No matter what, she always listened.
“Joyce always would lend an ear. She was not afraid to have difficult conversations but would speak and listen diplomatically,” Moore said.
Family and faith were deeply important to Joyce, the matriarch in the Lobene family. The door was always open and friends and extended family members were always welcome to the family home. Like many families, life was busy growing up in the Lobene family.Attendance at nightly family dinners and Sunday Mass was a requirement. “We even volunteered as a family working at Bingo nights at St. John’s,” Jim said. Community service and involvement was also promoted within the family.
The Lobene children were encouraged to pursue their interests such as scouting, school sports, and involvement with community organizations.
“Both our Mom and Dad taught us the importance of community and raised us with the notion that you need to give back to your community,” Jim Lobene explained. Both Mike and Jim serve in the Spencerport Volunteer Firefighters Association and a number of the Lobene grandchildren have been a part of the Association’s Explorer program. Jim and Mike described their mom as incredibly patriotic. She loved celebrating Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Joyce was proud of her son Jim’s service in the Coast Guard and grandson Shaun’s service in the Marines.
One of her projects called Hometown Heroes honors local servicemen and women who have chosen to serve in the US Armed Forces. A banner with a photo of each of these servicemen or women is displayed in downtown Spencerport. Each year on September 11, a special ceremony in the Village recognizes these servicemen and women. Many area towns and villages have modeled similar programs after Spencerport’s Hometown Heroes. This project was near and dear to Joyce’s heart.
“Our grandfather served in World War II. He was gone off to war for years and our family did not see him until his return. They did not know that he was coming home from the war until they saw him getting off the bus and walking down the street. So Mom grew up not knowing when her Dad might return home,” Jim explained.
After her husband Tom’s death in 1988, Joyce led and guided her family. Joyce was fiercely loyal to her family and very proud of their accomplishments. Her only daughter, Mary, followed her into the real estate business and is one of Nothnagle Realty’s top agents. When her youngest son, Tom, moved to Colorado, she looked forward to her cross-country trips. Joyce truly relished her family and her time with her children and grandchildren.
Her contributions are many and could fill a book. Joyce Lobene embraced the Village of Spencerport as her own, as a mother nurtures a child. Joyce was a friend to many, a mother to Spencerport and will be greatly missed by many.
For Joyce, Spencerport was ‘Someplace Special’
Joyce Lobene was petite – and mighty.
by Evelyn Dow, Editor Westside News Inc.
It was clear no one could love the Spencerport community more. During her 2009 campaign for Mayor of Spencerport, she explained her approach – “My system is: look at what needs to be done, find the best method for getting it done, with as little cost to our taxpayers as possible, then oversee the job until it is completed within a reasonable time frame. I understand the mayor and trustee positions are considered part time. However, while it may not be a 40 hour a week job in the office, you need to be readily available to our residents and village employees, especially when there is an emergency.”
During her years as mayor (2009-2014) her first and foremost tenet: “I work for the people.” She had read the tag line on a graphic used by Governor Cuomo at a conference she attended and said she wished more (officials) in every level of government would adopt and adhere to the statement. A long list of accomplishments proves she did that: Joyce served as president of the Spencerport Area Chamber of Commerce and used that office to promote the Ogden-Spencerport community and what it has to offer. Though she readily admitted she was not computer savvy, she knew emails about events and reminders about important topics were effective at getting one message to many. As mayor, as chamber president, as a realtor with Nothnagle for over 30 years, Joyce knew the value of communicating, listening and understanding.
During her years in office, she was successful in getting State Senator Charles Schumer to help her push for removal of the deteriorating and abandoned railroad overpass at the edge of the Spencerport business district. She initiated the Hometown Heroes banner project, she held village budgets to less than the two percent cap, she led the effort to bring a grocery store back to the village plaza, she guided the development of the south side of the Erie Canal bank with a walking path and amenities that showcase the historic waterway. “To me, it is very satisfying to see young families riding their bikes or pushing strollers along the Towpath and enjoying fresh air and exercise,” she said in an interview during her campaign for re-election. … “Visitors come by boat, bike and auto and enjoy their visits to the village.”
When Joyce faced health issues early in 2014, she had to make a hard choice to leave office before her term was done. She would serve in a different way, she said after a reception in her honor in July 2014. Many who knew her wished she would indeed find avenues to represent the community, employing the same professionalism, loyalty and colleague-support she had already demonstrated.
Joyce A. Lobene
•Lobene, Joyce A. (Nuccitelli), Spencerport, November 2, 2014 at age 75. Predeceased by her husband, Thomas R. Lobene, parents, James and Flora Nuccitelli, sisters, Deborah and Mary Ellen. Survived by children, James (Jacqeline), Michael (Jody), Thomas (Michael), Mary Lobene (Bilinski); grandchildren, Patrick, Beau, Shaun, Jared, Lauren, Shamus, Sam; sister, Diane (Michael) Whalen; In-laws, John and Ann Lobene; several nieces and nephews, and many dear friends. Joyce was a licensed Real Estate Broker and Manager with Nothnagle Realtors for 35+ years. She served on many boards and organizations. She was past President of the Spencerport Area Chamber of Commerce and Village of Spencerport Trustee. She was most recently the Mayor of Spencerport.
Her Funeral Service was held November 6 at St. John the Evangelist Church, Spencerport. Interment is private. Donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the Wounded Warriors, support.woundedwarriorsproject.org in her memory.
