Joyce Louise Ellingwood Lee

Dear Janet, Margaret, Charlotte, Richard and Alyson,

Through our friendship with Joyce, our world expanded evn more to include wonderful times and memories with each of you, Joyce’s loving children. You all were her pride and joy. How she loved you and her grandchildren and her new great granddaughter.

Charlie and I are sending a short tribute about Joyce, just a snippet of the many memories we have.

We are now in Rhode Island and will be returning to Vero on Sept 4, so we will be unable to attend Joyce’s service. We will be with you all in spirit.

We are so inspired by the incredible faithful care you each gave to your Mom, especially as her health needs increased. Joyce once said to us that giving birth to each of you was the best gift she could have received.

We send our love to each of you,

Peggy and Charlie and all of our family

Our Beloved Friend, Joyce Lee
What a privilege to be able to send our written thoughts about Joyce. We are so sad to learn of her death, but for Joyce it means freedom to soar with the angels, to be free from any pain and, most of all, to be reunited with her beloved spouse, Bill Lee.
I, Peggy, met Joyce 17 years ago, just before Christmas, when we both were part of a water aerobics class. Joyce was a young 81 years old then and had recently lost the love of her life—Bill. During the exercise in the pool, Christmas carols played and I noticed Joyce crying. After the class, we spoke together, the first of so many conversations over the years. I learned of the fresh pain Joyce was experiencing, knowing Christmas was approaching, her first without her Bill.
More times and conversations happened over so many years in which both Charlie and I learned of Joyce’s enormous love for each member of her large family, of her love for her special summer house on Squam Lake in New Hampshire, of her deep regard for Mary Baker Eddy of the Christian Science religion. From those teachings, Joyce was inspired to live life with a commitment to healthy living, to prayer, to laughter and play and to optimism always.
Joyce never lost the enthusiastic child within her. Several years ago, on Halloween, she got dressed in a costume and wore a mask and rang the doorbell at our house and then proceeded to hide. We laughed so hard. Holidays were more fun with Joyce.
Our grandchildren, Jacob, born in 2013 and Olivia born 2019 loved to visit her and she would amuse them with playful games and songs.
We all loved Joyous as we called her. When we would say, “I love you” she would reply, “I love you more” as she smiled so sweetly. As we continue to age ourselves, Joyce will always remain our inspiration.
Love Charlie and Peggy Lockwood

To My Dear Cousins:

I am sending my heartfelt sympathy to you all for your loss. Your mother was outgoing, full of vigor. She was definitely a lively and generous person.

I have a couple of memories of Aunt Joyce to pass on to you. One concerning the ‘lively’ and one concerning the ‘generous’.

The first is of our home in LaCrosse during the summer. I was about 11 years old. In the early morning, Mom (Ruth) and I were in our kitchen. I looked out the window and said, “there is a strange lady in our back yard.” I knew she was very strange, since she had an apron on, which no woman in LaCrosse wore (except when dressed up before hosting a party). She was facing away from us, bending over, pretending to look at the flowers in the garden. Another posture that no LaCrosse neighbor would maintain. However Mom’s reaction was very different from mine. She shrieked, opened the door and ran out. My first thought was that Mom was going to chase her off the property. Instead she reached around and started hugging her and crying. That tease from Aunt Joyce turned out to be one of the best summer surprises of all.

The second memory is about your parents both, and their generosity. I spent the summer with you in your Pelham home when I was 13. As a very unsophisticated young teenager. That whole summer was an eye opening experience for a small town girl. Aunt Joyce took me (and you) everywhere that summer. Janet and I stayed at newly married Ginny’s apt for a couple of days. We went to a Worlds Fair where the Four Seasons were singing, saw the Empire State Building (and with one wrong freeway exit, parts of Harlem), the Statue of Liberty, your Squam Lake summer place. I met your sweet other aunts, and wonderful grown-up friends of Aunt Joyce. I got actress Mary Martin’s autograph, and beautiful new clothes. Thank you Aunt Joyce, for all the time you took to make that a wonderful summer for me.

Love to you all,

Cousin Gail

I met Joyce about 35 years ago when I was very happily Greg’s nanny in San Francisco. She was an adoring Grandmother to him, so fun, joyful, loving and kind. Greg laughed a lot when she came to visit! She made me feel like I was part of her family and she became an important part of my own children’s lives. She always stayed in touch with us, especially at Christmas, and we all loved her very much and will miss her, but will forever feel her loving presence and treasure those great moments with her.

We were so fortunate to have met Joyce 40 years at our dear friends’ Janet and Ralph’s home. She was truly an inspiring person and exuded kindness, warmth and such positive energy. Her dedication to her family was unwavering. She will be remembered fondly by all who knew her. Our warmest condolences to her loving family. May she rest in peace.

Joyce was a light in the room , her brilliant blue eyes danced with joy as she spoke to you , her conversation lively, with wonderful engaging stories of her adventures and anecdotes . Joyce was curious, and loved asking questions to share in one’s life and adventures too! She left a legacy of brilliant daughters and son, grandchildren and great grandchildren.Each of them blessed with her sprit of adventure and curiosity , but most of all kindness and love of family and friends.I was lucky to be in her presence and her dancing blue eyes.

Terry Helm – Dear friend of Joyce’s daughter, Janet. I loved having many conversations with Joyce, especially when it came to talking about her children. Being a sibling of six, like Janet, I so enjoyed her perspective on how she cherished each and everyone of her children, how alike in some ways and how different in others. It was always so clear how much of her life was devoted to them and to her husband. I know from Janet how much that love was reciprocated. And I know how much she will be missed. May she rest in peace.

Joyce Lee -One in a Million :There are not many people that can leave impressions on you as easily as Joyce did. Caring, fun, silly beautiful and infectious are just a few words to describe her. So many holiday celebrations spent with Joyce brought us so much closer. I remember a few years ago on Halloween Joyce walked down to our house knocked on the door and Said “Trick or Treat!!” She had a costume on and everything what a trick that was but also such a treat! Her personality radiated! She loved my kids and they loved her. Anyone who had the honor to know Joyce would without a doubt fall in love as well. She lead such a long and fullifilled life. Her family and friends meant so much to her. And she meant SO much to so many. Joyce left a imprint on our hearts and will be missed dearly.

With love, Melissa Tiedge Chris Lockwood and children Jacob and Olivia

Looking on from afar, it is wonderful to feel somehow that Joyce is somehow being restored to the beautiful wholeness of her sparkling and vivacious spirit. And I just have to say that I have been awestruck at the degree of devotion that she inspired in so many who cared for her in these last years. To Margaret and siblings: I know it hasn’t been easy, but you have all been amazing, and I hope that you can REST now and feel your mother’s love beaming down on you….