Toms River Crossing Guard Retires After 40 Years of Service

When Judy Maxson became a crossing guard in 1971, Silver Bay Elementary School had just opened. Forty years later and upon retirement, Maxson will leave her post as a crossing guard in a township that added seven schools during her years of service.

As the district grew to 18 schools total over the years, Maxson was safely shuffling students across streets such as Kettle Creek and for students. Yesterday, her tenure was celebrated in a retirement party at , attended by fellow crossing guards, local officials and police officers.

Even with busy intersections such as Old Freehold Road near schools, Maxson has gone all 40 years without an incident, which she notes is an "accomplishment within itself."

"The police department has always trained everyone well and stood behind them, and that has never changed," Maxson said.

She believes the police department has the future of Toms River under control. The police department is even comprised of some officers she remembers helping to cross the street when they were schoolchildren in Toms River schools.

Maxson holds the Police Department responsible for the safety of herself, as well as the children she has worked with throughout the years.

Toms River Chief of Police Michael Mastronardy has known Maxson since he was a patrolman and noted her dedication to the job. "This was a time when Hooper Avenue had two traffic lights on it," Mastronardy said. "Maxson has seen a lot of the change that's happened through the years."

When Mastronardy asked what her fondest memories were, Maxson mentioned the job itself, the children she worked with, and expressed how much she would miss everyone she knows through the job. 

Maxson began her career at Silver Bay Elementary School when it first opened, and was most recently at where she was responsible for children grades K through 5, which are all the grades in the school.

She originally began working as a school crossing guard because she needed to go to work but had a younger son, who is now employed as a state trooper. As a crossing guard, Maxson could take her son to work with her and be home in time for her other children getting off the schoolbus. 

Some of the changes that Maxson has noticed in Toms River is how it has "lost its small town warming effect with its growth," but she insists, "it's still a nice place to live."

Toms River Police Safety Officer Tom Leach commented on Maxson's dedication to the job.

"It was an honor to have her and her experience with the kids and [traffic]," Leach said. "You know when she called, because she didn't call for much, that it was important. She was always dependable."

Mayor Thomas Kelaher was in attendance and has known Maxson for more than 40 years since he was a municipal prosecutor in 1968. Kelaher wished the retiree good luck and went on to speak about the development of Toms River.

"A highlight with the department is [the] insight into how the town has changed," Kelaher said. "It was a much smaller municipality and has just really started to develop. There were around half the number of schools [when Maxson started]. It seems like just yesterday that she started."

Cookie Haring, a fellow Toms River crossing guard, has known Maxson for five years. Maxson helped to train her during her early days on the job, and trained many other crossing guards as well. 

"She's a good lady, she deserves good health," Haring said. "She's always out helping the kids and directing the traffic -- through all weather. She deserves everything."

Pat Delmont has known Maxson for 25 years and has breakfast with her fellow crossing guard every Friday morning, a tradition the women plan to continue. Delmont sees a difference in the comaradery within the larger group of crossing guards now employed within Toms River. 

"Years ago, we would all get together for parties," Delmont said. "We don't do that anymore, there was more comaradery when it was a smaller group."

The crossing guard force has grown with the number of schools. Though West Dover -- the school Maxson was assigned to most recently -- was built in 1963, it too has grown to have about 71 students in each grade level, more than 420 students total at the home of the Blue Jays.

Maxson, who moved from Toms River to Waretown, has no set plans after retirement but would like to check off some things on her "bucket list." She plans to paint more often and travel with a number of her friends, and is also looking forward to spending time with her seven granddaughters and grandson.