Joyce French

Albany-Joyce Flanders French, 62, passed away Sunday October 28, 2007 at the Hospice Inn at St. Peter's Hospital after a long illness. Born in Newark, NJ, Joyce was the daughter of the late Connie Whitous and Wallace Flanders. Before she was a teenager, she moved to Catskill, NY. There, Joyce was raised by Ida Street, who became a much beloved second mother to her.

Joyce had a remarkable professional career. She spent most of that time assisting people in key political and governmental positions. Joyce has been working at this since 1967. Her career started with the State Legislature, after that working for Marietta Tree, then the delegate to the State Constitutional Convention. Joyce was an administrative assistant to the Senate Majority Leader, Manfred Ohrenstein and then joined the Secretary of State Basil Paterson's office. Some of her diverse credits are her past membership on the Board of Director's of public radio station WAMC and staff assistant on the Committee for the Inauguration of Governor Mario Cuomo.

Most recently she worked for the Federal Government as an executive assistant to U S Senator Charles Schummer, retiring last year.

She is survived by her son Jamal French and his fiancé, Krystl Call, her brother Robert Wilkerson, her half-brother Reggie Williams and her granddaughter Ariana French. Joyce was predeceased by her brothers; Ricardo Street and Ronald Wilkerson.

Funeral services will be held 11:00am Friday at New Comer-Cannon Family Funeral Home, 343 New Karner Rd. Colonie (Rt. 155 south of Central Ave). Calling hours will be Thursday 4:00 to 7:00pm at the funeral home. Interment will be at Graceland Cemetery. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.NewComerFamily.com