Outstanding Leadership in Queens
2007 Honoree of the Queens Federation of Churches

Joan Barnes

Joan Barnes was born in Canada, in Edmonton, Alberta. The family moved to Toronto when she was 10 and she received most of her education there. She graduated from Victoria College, University of Toronto, in 1951 with a B.A. She and her husband, Leonard, moved to Queens in 1957 and three years later bought a small retail fish market, which eventually became London Lennie's, a full service restaurant that seats 200. They raised three children, Wendy an attorney, Leslie who runs the restaurant, and Jennifer also an attorney. Joan was widowed in 1986. Joan has seven granddaughters.

Joan served on the Board of the Queens Museum of Art for nine years, the last year as Board President. She is presently on the Board of Flushing Council on the Arts/Flushing Town Hall, the Board of Musica Reginae, a classical music organization, and is also on the Board of the Church-in-the-Gardens in Forest Hills.

Joan continues to work in the restaurant. She and her son, Leslie, are both active in the community. Her son serves on the Board of Visions, a service for the blind, and is on the Board of Cross County Bank. London Lennie's plays host every year to a group of young teenagers, giving them dinner and tips on formal dinner etiquette. London Lennie's supports local soccer teams. It raises money for Muscular Dystrophy and supports many of our local school and church organizations.

Joan has always felt Queens was a great place to raise children and to have a business. Her children all went through the New York City public school system and did well. She is grateful to all the hard working people from so many different countries who make their living in Queens, to the churches that do so much good, to the arts organizations that give us music and drama and art, and to the politicians, who don't get enough credit, who all help to make Queens a good place to live.

Joan loves traveling, photography, reading and watching "Law and Order" on TV.