Joanne Irene Kleiner

Joanne I. Kleiner passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 1, 2021. She was born in Rockville Centre, N. Y. on November 15, 1952 to Nicholas A. and Irene Kleiner of Hicksville, N. Y.

After attending the Hicksville Public Schools she graduated from Hicksville High School in 1970.  She received an Associates Degree from Nassau Community College in 1972 and an M.B.A from Dowling College, Long Island University in 1991.  Joanne was an Accountant for the Northrup/Grumman Corporation for 47 years, retiring in 2019.

Joanne was an accomplished musician having been an active participant in the Hicksville Public Schools music program.  She was a pianist and served as an accompanist for several community theater musical productions on Long Island. She also had a great love of the Star Trek television and movie series over the years, which made her an original “Trekkie”. She became a member of the fan club of Philip Anglim, who played the Vedek Bareil on the “Deep Space Nine” T. V. series. She became friends with Philip and assisted him at a Trek Convention in Las Vegas.  She also visited him in Paris with her friends. She loved Paris and her home was filled with momentos of the French capitol including many representations of the Eiffel Tower.  She was also a huge fan of the movies of Steven Speilberg, especially those starring Tom Hanks.

She spent countless hours playing music on her piano in the pop, jazz, and classical styles. The music of Billy Joel was her particular favorite since she grew up living across the street from that member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Hicksville. Joanne and her brother Jim visited Billy before and after concerts during his career.  Billy even introduced the two of them to Elton John before one of their dual concerts!

Joanne’s Yamaha Clavinova piano/synthesizer is being donated in her name to the Hicksville High School music department where it will inspire young musicians to follow in her love of music.

Joanne is survived by her brother Jim and sister-in-law Cheryll Kleiner of South Windsor, Connecticut, as well as her niece Janet and husband Chris Costa of Goldsborough, North Queensland Australia, along with their boys Tyler, Caleb and Noah.  She also leaves her sister-in-law Shelley and husband Ken Berg of North Wales, Pennsylvania, her brother-in-law Bob and wife Jayne Chupka of Las Vegas, Nevada,  her Aunt and Uncle Helen and Bill Hart of Ridge, N. Y., her Uncle Les Kleiner and his wife Linda of San Diego, California, and her Aunt Julieann Mucaria and cousin Maria Baier of Upstate New York.

She leaves her Long Island cousins Patty Kaelin and her husband Joe, Richie Hart and his wife Eileen, Ann Marie Murphy and her husband Danny, Bob Hart and his wife Sue, and Barbara Feltkamp and her husband Don.

Joanne also leaves her life long friend Kathi Kochman and her husband Ron of Cheshire Ct.,  as well as Bob and Steve Kovach of Levittown, N. Y. Also , Nancy Rosenwasser Goldhirst and  Karen Feinberg Mahon of Florida,  and her Long Island friends Camille Fullshire, Loretta Fogarty, Joanna Simonetti and Judi Nolan.

She also leaves many other cousins and former co-workers.

Jo also had an affinity for angels which was no surprise because all of those who knew her considered her an angel herself.

We will all celebrate Joanne’s life at 2 p.m. on July 20, 2021 at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Huntington Station, Long Island.  In lieu of flowers we request you send a donation to the American Cancer Society.