Northport teacher dedicated to ending racism, misogyny and injustice dies

Charlotte P. Koons was a dedicated teacher at Norwood Avenue Elementary School in Northport for 43 years. Friends said she also was an outspoken woman who was unabashed and dedicated to ending racism, misogyny and injustice and was a patron of the arts, to boot.

Between all of those endeavors her impact was far-reaching, friends said.

“She was just so outgoing and touched the lives of so many people,” said Dylan Skolnick, co-director of the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington. “She was just so passionate about Huntington and the world.”

Koons, of Northport, died on March 16 at age 87 at Hospice House in East Northport of natural causes, close family friend Nina Rhodes said.

Rhodes said Koons was a legend in the community who was generous with her money as well as her time.

“She was the best of her community,” said Rhodes, who called Koons her mentor. “Anything you would want a neighbor to be, a community leader to be, a personal friend to be, she was.”

According to a Town of Huntington news release from 2015, when Koons was honored as part of its annual Women’s Networking Day, she spent 17 years on the board of the Northport Arts Coalition, coordinating programs at the Northport Public Library. She was a volunteer at Hospice House in East Northport and was a founding member of Huntington N.O.W., CODEPINK L.I., and Women for Peace.

In 2018, Koons was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award from the New York Civil Liberties Union as a co-founder of the Suffolk Chapter and being an NYCLU Suffolk Chapter board member since 1963.

In a Newsday story in 2013, Koons said immigrant rights were important to her as the daughter of immigrants.

Charlotte Spitzel was born in the Bronx on May 1, 1934, to Swiss and Austrian parents. She married Chester Koons, a Korean War combat veteran, yoga master and artist, in Mexico. The couple enjoyed traveling, sailing and cycling, friends said.

In addition to her social justice endeavors, friends recalled her as a healer, mentor and enthusiastic supporter of the arts. At age 79, she starred in the play "Enchanted April" at a theater in Northport.

Skolnick said Koons attended the Cinema Arts Centre for decades and was someone who was engaged in every part of the community and leaves a legacy of passion for art and for loving life.

“She was enthusiastic and passionate about art, politics and life and everything in between,” he said. “She made the world a better place.”

A celebration of her life will be held on May 1 at the Cinema Arts Centre. Because of COVID-19 protocols, there will be two sessions, the first from 1 to 3 p.m. and the second from 4 to 6 p.m.

Rhodes said attendees and performers can bring a poem, a song, or a Charlotte story to share. She asks anyone wanting to participate in the activity to contact her at thewhitewolf52@gmail.com to coordinate. She also asks that anyone who attends be vaccinated against COVID-19.