This column, from the weekly opinion piece MATTER OF FACT, first appeared on BrooklynReporter.com, the Home Reporter and Spectator dated December 23, 2022
Joanne Seminara passed away last week, creating a huge loss for her family and all of Bay Ridge. Attending her wake on Sunday, December 18, and seeing the number of people who had come to pay their respects, made clear the impact she made on the community.
A life-long Ridgite, Joanne was a graduate of Brooklyn Law school and practiced law for more than thirty years. Throughout her professional career she led continuing legal education seminars and spoke frequently at community education seminars on estate, trust and tax matters. Joanne was also a published author, having co-authored the book Fifty- Five; Five Essential Legal Documents You Need by Age 55, with her law partner Judith Grimaldi and her husband Pierre Lehu.
Pierre and Joanne had celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary earlier this month. The countless photos at the services showed what was most important in life to Joanne: family. Pictures with Pierre, her children Peter and Gabrielle, and her four grandchildren Jude, Rhys, Isabelle, and James Joseph, were seemingly everywhere at Clavin Funeral Home were seemingly everywhere, all of which showed Joanne glowing in time spent with those who meant most to her.
I can recall the many times Joanne would speak at an action, a campaign event or a Bay Ridge Democrats meeting. When Joanne would talk, everyone would listen. Intently. She was a passionate orator but also always incredibly intelligent, informed, and insightful.
For Joanne, community organizing service were a way of life. She was a founding member of the Bay Ridge Democrats and she set the stage for many of those who began the club alongside her, several of which hold elected office today. Her father Joe ran for office when Joanne was a child and she followed in his footsteps, having run for City Council in Bay Ridge multiple times.
Current elected officials like Senator Andrew Gounardes and Councilman Justin Brannan have been very clear throughout the years that Joanne played a significant role in them getting to where they are today and they were effusive in the words they shared upon learning of her passing.
Joanne was a member of Community Board 10 for over twenty years, serving as Chair for part of that time. In addition to many other volunteer activities she engaged in, Joanne was an elected State Committee member of the New York State Democratic Party and a District Leader of the Kings County Democratic Party, roles she held through this year. Besides being an inspiring figure for many Democrats who have run for office locally, Joanne knocked on many thousands of doors through the years, for her own campaigns, as well as for others who ran for office.
I did not know Joanne well, personally, and only ever got to chat with her briefly, but she had a way of making everyone who spoke with her, even if just for short spells, feel as if they knew her in a way. Hearing her speak up – or often times, speak out – on an important matter facing the community, left you feeling smarter, more engaged, and eager to get involved.
Losing Joanne is a huge loss to Southern Brooklyn. She was a truly special human being in myriad ways. The number of people whose lives were positively impacted by the way Joanne chose to live her life are many. Joanne will be deeply missed by countless people but always remembered.
