Obituary

Joan Lepelstat, 71

Advocated for a new Peninsula Public Library

Posted

Joan Lepelstat began at Peninsula Public Library as a part-time employee and even after she retired as an assistant director she continued to support the Lawrence facility serving on the board of trustees, including being president.

“Since her departure from the board in 2015, she has continued to be a vocal supporter of the library, and fought hard to achieve the community’s dream of a new facility. Joan has inspired us with her brave, yet private battle against illness, and she will be terribly missed,” the library’s board said in a statement.  
Lepelstat was the driving force behind the library getting a second driveway built

in 2008 and advocated for a new building. The former Lawrence resident who moved to New York City died on Jan. 27. She was 71.

“She was instrumental in getting the library the driveway and overcame all the opposition with the help of the school board, until then we had one way in and one way out,” said retired PPL Director Arleen Reo, who originally hired Lepelstat and knew her for nearly 20 years. “She had her vision for the library that’s what drove her and where she put her time and effort. She was dedicated.”

In 1995, Lepelstat began at PPL as a library aide and a year later became a librarian. In 2001, she became assistant director and four years later retired. She served on the board from 2005-15. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1973 and two years later earned a master’s in library science from Pratt Institute. She also got a computer programming certificate from New York University in 1980.

In September of last year, it was announced that PPL, with the help of Lawrence village, would be constructing a new library by Zion Park. It was the result of several years of hard work that Lepelstat spearheaded. The library building that opened in 1961 is at 280 Central Ave. in Lawrence. It is considered the smallest space per user of any library in the Nassau County Library System.

“She was the impetus and continued to support the relocation and when it happens it will be her we have to thank,” said Lawrence Village Administrator Ron Goldman said, who also worked with Lepelstat in conjunction with the Lawrence Association, an organization that functions as the village’s civic group.

“Joan was devoted to the library but also to the community to whom the library served, and she recognized that the library as an institution shared her personal devotion to every single resident,” he said.

Janet Schneider, PPL’s adult programming librarian, served on the board from 2006-09 with Lepelstat. “Joan worked passionately and tirelessly for decades to bring a new library building to the community,” she said.

Amanda Leigh Lepelstat announced her mother’s death on Facebook: “Mom was the bravest person I’ve ever known. She persevered through this for almost the entirety of her life. In the last two years, it progressed and she was diagnosed. In the last 10 months, she has been on a transplant wait list in New York but she did not receive a lung.

“As a last resort she relocated to North Carolina to try to get a transplant at Duke Hospital, changing her life completely just for the chance to live longer. She gave her best, and her all … After two weeks in the hospital, her lungs gave in. She was my role model, my inspiration, my hero.”