Published on July 08, 2015

East Windsor Township Mayor Janice S. Mironov presented the 2015“Sylvia Weiss Senior Citizen Award for Outstanding Service as a Volunteer”at a well-attended public ceremony at the July 7 Council meeting. The Award was bestowed posthumously to Liston Abbott and Joyce Abbott, who both passed in early 2015, and was accepted by Liston and Joyce Abbott’s son, Wayne Abbott.

Mayor Mironov remembered and praised the honorees stating, “Liston and Joyce Abbott, 47 year East Windsor residents, both had a long and deep commitment to service and acts of kindness to others, reflected in their many areas of involvement. Liston and Joyce were real treasures to our community, who cared deeply about helping others and left their mark on large numbers of people. Better Beginnings Child Development Center, an important and prime focus of their lives, remembers them as two very special people who changed our world for the better.”

Liston and Joyce Abbott, both born in the U.S. Virgin Islands who knew one another since their pre-elementary school days, married in 1963 after moving to New York City, and were residents of East Windsor since 1968. Liston Abbott served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Better Beginnings Day Care Center since 1974, where his extensive activities ranged from writing many of the computer programs the organization relies on to this day to tirelessly fundraising to ensure the viability of this important community facility. He also volunteered for a variety of organizations over the years including the United Way, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Mercer County and the Hightstown Human Relations Council. Mr. Abbott has also received numerous awards and honors including the United Way Lambert Award, East Windsor’s Shining Star, Kappa Alpha Psi’s Men of Achievement, Council of Community Services and a proclamation for his contribution to Electrical Engineering by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands.

Liston Abbott, after graduating from the City College of New York with a B.S. in electrical engineering, was employed by RCA/GE/SRI International as technical staff specializing in communication systems including television, radio, telephone, microwaves, satellite and digital processing where he had an instrumental role in the development of the digital HDTV. Liston, who retired from Sarnoff in May 2000, was co-founder of the Minorities in Engineering Program at David Sarnoff Research Center and served as an instructor for 40 years. Mr. Abbott also was a member of the Board of Directors of the Research and Technology Park of the University of the Virgin Islands.

Joyce Abbot, known for her compassion and religious commitment, was throughout her life extensively involved in the community from girl scouts to tutoring young students. Mrs. Abbott was co-founder of “Our Kids,” an organization dedicated to immersing children in cultural activities and education on African-American History. She was a long time member of the Central Jersey Network of Black Woman and served as president from 2005 to 2007. Mrs. Abbott also was a deaconess of Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church and received the Betsey Stockton Award from the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church. Joyce also was honored by the Latina Woman’s Council of Mercer County as a “Women in Motion.” Joyce V. Abbot received a B.A. in sociology from Trenton State College (n/k/a TCNJ) and worked as a social case worker for the Mercer County Board of Social Services.

The Sylvia Weiss Senior Citizen Award for Outstanding Service as a Volunteer, presented annually by East Windsor Township, recognizes a senior citizen who has exhibited outstanding service through volunteerism to the community by way of schools, religious institutions, service organizations or directly to the public. Sylvia Weiss is a former East Windsor Township Council Member, past Council senior citizen advisor and chairperson of the Commission on Aging and was instrumental in the original formation of the senior citizen program. The Selection Committee included Council Member Perry Shapiro, Commission on Aging Chairperson Ondina Jeffers and Planning Board Chairperson Edward Kelley.

East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov presents the 2015 “Sylvia Weiss Senior Citizen Award for Outstanding Service as a Volunteer” to Wayne Abbott in honor of his parents Liston and Joyce Abbott. Pictured (from left to right) are: Dennis McClary, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Better Beginnings Child Care Center; Mayor Janice S. Mironov; Wayne Abbott; and Ondina Jeffers, Chairperson of the East Windsor Commission on Aging.

East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov presents the 2015 “Sylvia Weiss Senior Citizen Award for Outstanding Service as a Volunteer” to Wayne Abbott in honor of his parents Liston and Joyce Abbott. Pictured (from left to right) are: Dennis McClary, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Better Beginnings Child Care Center; Mayor Janice S. Mironov; Wayne Abbott; Ondina Jeffers, Chairperson of the East Windsor Commission on Aging; Ina Heiman, Commission on Aging Member; Gloria Golbert, Commission on Aging Member; and Susan Flaster, Commission on Aging Member.