Wednesday, November 8, 2017
My earliest memories of Joyce are as daughter-in-law of Frank and Ann, wife of Bob and mother of Mike and Kathy. We spent our childhood summers on our grandfather's (George Winn) farm down the road from the Normile farm. As the years went by we traveled much less to North Lawrence, but whenever we did, we made every effort to visit friends as well as Grandpa George and Aunt Betty. Although my sister Louise kept more in touch with Bob and Joyce than I, I kept up with their news. As devoted wife and loving mother Joyce was one of my role models. I admire her also for the many years of service she gave as postmistress in North Lawrence, her cooking, canning and baking skills, and her healthy regimen of eating and walking. Joyce touched my life in one very significant way - she put me in contact with her sister Betty, a nun in New York City. And through her I got my first volunteer job as Family Worker with the new Head Start Program at St. Francis de Sales in Harlem. That was in 1965. A more recent memory that comes to mind is the time a few years ago that Joyce help me locate and cut down a Christmas tree on my grandfather's property. It was cold, getting dark and we were out much longer than we expected because of my insistence on finding the perfect tree. If Joyce had any misgivings about helping me, she kept them to herself, and I left North Lawrence, happy with my lovely tree, and Joyce smiling, with that beautiful smile, happy to see me go!
Her positive attitude, sparkling eyes and smiling countenance will always remain with me. I feel blessed to have known her.
