Spotlight on Long Island: Meet JoAnn Marks
Breaking Barriers, Living with Purpose
At 77 years old, JoAnn Marks of Yaphank is proof that a life well-lived is one filled with courage, reinvention, and an unwavering belief in love. Born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island, JoAnn has weathered life’s deepest losses — widowed three times — yet she continues to live with an open heart. Today, she is in a new relationship, just a year after losing her last husband, and she makes no apologies for it. “I love being in love,” she says with a smile. “I have a lot of love to offer someone.”
Breaking the Glass Ceiling
JoAnn’s career reads like a list of “firsts” for women on Long Island. She spent three decades in the mortgage industry, starting at a time when female brokers were nearly unheard of. She remembers walking into a Manhattan office to pick up her registration certificate and realizing she was the only woman in a room of a dozen men. It didn’t intimidate her — it motivated her.
She went on to become the first woman on Long Island to sell home improvements and aluminum siding, and then shattered another barrier as the first woman to sell Jaguars, MGBs, and Land Rovers in the area. In each male-dominated industry, JoAnn proved that determination, skill, and professionalism speak louder than any stereotype.
A Life of Service and Faith
After high school, JoAnn attended seminary school for four years, becoming a certified and ordained Interfaith Minister. Her faith has been her compass through both triumphs and heartaches.
When her husband passed away a year and a half ago, JoAnn decided she would reinvent herself. She began volunteering with hospice and now works in an assisted living facility, sharing her faith with those at the end of life. “Every day is a gift and an opportunity to ease someone’s pain,” she says, a sentiment that reveals the depth of her compassion.
Her Advice for Living Fully
If you ask JoAnn the secret to a purposeful life, her answer is simple but powerful:
“Find your purpose and go with it. Never lose your faith.”
JoAnn Marks’ story is a reminder that age is not a barrier, love is never out of reach, and breaking barriers is a lifelong endeavor. She is living proof that you can keep rewriting your story at any age — and that your next chapter might just be your best.
Andrea Peponakis
Andrea Peponakis is a retired foreign language teacher who then became a local newspaper journalist and local radio show host. Born and raised in Astoria, Queens and on Long Island, Andrea is now focusing on writing children’s books. The motivation to become an author was inspired by her three grandchildren. Her book, Grandma, Grandma, Tell Me More: My Family Loves Me, was featured at this year’s London Book Festival and at The LA Times Book Fair. Andrea currently resides on Long Island near her children and grandchildren. Her days are spent creating everlasting memories with her grandchildren and writing.
