Joy Stern Gilbert, 95, died peacefully at her home in Lexington, MA on April 1, 2026. She was a Lexington resident for 70 years, the last 15 of them at Brookhaven of Lexington, an active senior retirement community.

Joy grew up in New York City with her parents and older brother and sister. She attended Cornell University, then Northeastern University, where she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees. While at Cornell, she met Richard Gilbert, and they married on June 12, 1949. After raising three children – Paul, Joanne, and Susan – she became a high school guidance counselor at Lexington High School for 25 years, successfully helping thousands of students navigate the college application process.

Throughout her adult life, Joy enjoyed traveling and, with her husband, visited 165 countries. She was also an avid reader, golfer, bridge player, and crossword puzzle enthusiast. At Brookhaven, she ran the duplicate bridge games for many years and won numerous tournaments.

Joy was predeceased by her husband Richard in 2008 and son Paul in 2022. She leaves her children Joanne Gilbert Arnold of Reston, Virginia and Susan Gilbert of Arlington, MA; daughter-in-law Patricia Romeo-Gilbert of Boston, MA and son-in-law Gordon Arnold; grandchildren Rebecca, Greg, Rachel, Jeffrey, and Andy; and great-grandson Nathan.

Visiting hours for Joy will be held on Thursday, June 11 from 6pm to 8pm, at the Douglass Funeral Home, 51 Worthen Road, Lexington. The public is welcome to attend.

A private ceremony, for just immediate family and Brookhaven residents, will be held on Friday, June 12.