Joyce Gilchrist Pierce was born in Camden, NJ in 1937. She currently resides in Lawnside, NJ, in the home in which she was raised. She proudly tells anyone who asks that her father, Thomas Gilchrist (a carpenter and businessman), built many parts of the home. Her mother, Hilda Gilchrist, worked as a day worker in Haddonfield and at RCA in Camden during nights. They encouraged Joyce to pursue her aspirations, despite multiple external roadblocks and others trying to steer her away from college education. Joyce attended and graduated from West Virginia State University with a degree in education, returning to New Jersey to pursue her career in education.
For the first arc of her career Joyce taught while also serving as Councilwoman and Acting-Mayor of neighboring Lawnside, NJ. When her family moved to Atlantic City, Ms. Pierce continued her employment in the Haddonfield system, driving in excess of an hour each way to get to work. During a number of these commutes, Mrs. Pierce experienced systemic racism by being stopped and ticketed by the Haddonfield Police Department for, essentially, “driving while black.” Despite this and other hardships thrown her way, Mrs. Pierce continued her dedication to the students and people of Haddonfield.
While teaching, Joyce battled and successfully fought ovarian cancer. This fight was accomplished while she taught daily, rarely missing a single day of work. Her goal was to always ensure that her students received the consistent high-quality education that the Haddonfield schools strive to provide. Joyce talks fondly of her former students and enjoys seeing them in the community. Both former Haddonfield Mayors Jack Tarditi and Letitia “Tish” Colombi can validate her love and passion for both the students and people of Haddonfield. Ms. Pierce was recently honored by the Haddonfield Educational Trust and Haddonfield School District for her contributions.
