Obituary of Joyce Boyce

Boyce (Hedden), Joyce Catherine Addie Joyce passed peacefully into heaven today(Wednesday February 23, 2022) after a lingering battle with poor health. Joyce leaves behind her sons Peter (Michelle) and Ken (Joanne), her grandchildren Melissa, Kevin (Natalie), Susie (Nico), Renee (Jake), Kate, Emily (Alex), Spencer (Meaghan), Lindsay (Ben) and great-grandchildren Sofie, Olivia and Madden and son-in-law Kevin McNamara. Also survived by special sister-in-law Joan Hedden and lifelong friend Lois MacDonald and Lori-Anne Rzic who was like another daughter to mom. She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years Richard and her beloved daughters Susan and Debbie, and granddaughter Rebecca. Mom was born on a snowy night in Hensall, Ontario, to Lloyd and Pearl Hedden. She had 5 siblings, Shirley, Hank, Roy (Tubby), Linda and Sam. The Family moved to St. Catharines and Joyce spent her formative years growing up on Shakespeare Ave. Mom was a good student at school and had dreams of being a scientist who would make great discoveries. Life on the other hand had other plans and took her along another path. Joyce married at the young age of 16 and had 4 children by the age of 25. Mom was a quiet thinker and the practical parent, and that practicality was passed on to us. However, mom had a more whimsical nature as she was a great believer of superstitions which had been passed down to her from her mother and then passed on to us, as an example, never put new shoes on the table, it is bad luck. Mom was also a person of faith, and attended Westminster Church in her younger years and as she got older her faith was more personal in nature such as always saying a prayer before eating and making sure we had a family prayer at family gatherings (always including the Lord’s Prayer) Mom was a stay-at-home mom for many years and worked with our dad at the family business, Centennial Florist for several years before retiring because of health issues. When she was younger, mom liked to camp and fish, attend Jr A hockey games (St. Catharines Blackhawks) and enjoyed going to restaurants for a nice meal. In her later years, when she was more house bound, she enjoyed watching her favourite tv shows like Judge Judy and Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and doing crossword puzzles. Mom grew up in a house that was always busy and full of people. When she had her own home, it was a much quieter place. Mom was proud and happy to call our family residence home for 64 plus years and stayed there until the end. This is the only family home that my brother and I had ever known. Our family wishes to thank the first responders, doctors, and staff at the St. Catharines Hospital Site of the NHS for all her care there during her many trips and stays in the hospital over the last year. We would also like to thank the PSWs from Bayshore for their compassionate care. A special thanks to the staff of 5B for all their care and compassion during mom’s final stay in the hospital. A private family service will take place at the Patrick J Darte Funeral Home with internment at Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines. If so desired, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, the NHS Foundation, Community Care or Bear Clan Patrol in Joyce’s name.