ISLAND FALLS – Joyce McKay Roach, 73, of Merrill passed away on Sept. 9, at her cottage on Pleasant Pond. She spent her last days watching her loons on the lake and enjoying the arrival of the fall colors.
She was born on Sept. 29, 1932, in Houlton the daughter of Russell W. and Margaret Jane (London) McKay.
She attended Houlton public schools, the University of Maine, and was a graduate of Ricker College. She served on the school board for the Southern Aroostook Community School District and on the State of Maine Board of Education – serving as board chairwoman. She also served as a member of the board of trustees for the New England Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges, as well as a member of the board of trustees for the Maine Vocational Education Association, where she received that board’s highest honor – the Award of Merit and Commendation.
An advocate for higher education, she served as board member of The Trout Foundation for Higher Education. Additionally, she was active in town government, serving in many roles for the town of Merrill, including as a member of the board of selectmen. She was also a co-owner/operator of Forest Home Farms in Smyrna Mills.
She will be remembered for her caring and generosity, gift of intellect and quick sense of humor. Her passion for basketball, from the Southern Aroostook Warriors to the Chicago Bulls, provided her countless hours of enjoyment.
She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and aunt.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, George Arnold Roach of Merrill; three daughters, Diane Tardy and her husband, Michael, of Sabattus, Suzanne Spruce of Bangor, and Elizabeth Roach of Washington, D.C.; two granddaughters, Jessica Tardy of Portland, Ore., and Sarah Spruce of Bangor; and one grandson, Andrew Spruce of Bangor; her sisters, Betty Mochan of Manchester, Conn. and Tessa Albert of Ludlow; a brother, Robert McKay and his wife, Ginny, of Ormond Beach, Fla.; a sister-in-law, Bonnie McKay of Danforth; a brother-in-law, Dale Swimm of Monticello; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents; brothers, Bill and Jim McKay; her sister, Pam Swimm; and a special sister-in-law, Barbara Roach.
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