BETHEL – Joyce M. Stearns, 78, of Bethel, passed away unexpectedly yet peacefully on Thursday, April 26, at Stephens Memorial Hospital after a sudden, brief period of declining health.

Born in Rangeley on July 17, 1928, to R. Glenn Murphy and Ersel A. Williams, Joyce spent much of her childhood in the Rangeley, Eustis and Stratton areas, before her father’s occupation brought the family to Bethel, where she lived until her death. She attended Gould Academy, graduating in 1946.

Joyce married Robert G. Stearns on Aug. 5, 1950. They were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Debra, in 1953. Bob died on Oct. 13, 1988, after 38 wonderful years of marriage. They were members of the Bethel Church of the Nazarene.

Although she did enjoy working in various mills, Joyce’s greatest pride was being a homemaker and mother, and later on, a loving grandmother. Being a devoted supporter of her husband’s work, Joyce was not afraid to lend a helping hand on their dairy farm or provide secretarial support when he was in law enforcement.

Joyce spent many hours in her kitchen cooking meals for the family and baked goodies for the holidays. When they were younger, her grandchildren took turns being her helper as Joyce perfected her homemade doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, whoopee pies and infamous fudge.

At family cookouts, Joyce could always be found running the grill for the hamburgers and hot dogs. The whole family looked forward to her fried onions and green peppers. Her famous “YODEL” would signal the food was cooked and ready to serve.

In her spare time, Joyce engaged in knitting and crocheting, completing many pairs of mittens and slippers for her grandchildren. Every year at Christmas, they each received a homemade ornament.

After her husband’s untimely death, Joyce made a ritual out of completing the crossword and Jumble puzzles in the daily newspaper, on some days asking anyone that called or visited for help with the “trouble” clue.

She enjoyed card games and there was usually a jigsaw puzzle on the table for Shaynah, her great-granddaughter, to help with after school. There was always a race to see who could fit the last piece in.

For the past few years, until recently when her own health no longer permitted, Joyce faithfully provided daily care, housekeeping and assistance to her own mother, who passed away in January at the age of 102.

Joyce will be remembered for her memory of details, bountiful knowledge and a fondness of voicing her opinion.

Survivors include daughter, Debra Stearns, of Bethel; grandchildren, Dawn Grondin and her husband, Randall, of Bethel, Ryan Seames and his wife, Brandy, of Woodstock, and Rusty Seames of Bethel; great-granddaughters, Shaynah-Cherokeigh Seames of Bethel, Olivier Seames of Woodstock, and Bryar Grondin of Berlin, N.H.; sister, Ruth and her husband Charles Bishop, of Orland; brothers, James and Marjorie Murphy of Bethel, Paul and Susie Murphy of Key West, Fla., and Christopher Murphy of Waterville; sisters-in-law, Priscilla Murphy of Gorham, N.H., Lea Murphy of Alameda, Calif., Dorothea Murphy of West Bethel, and Sidney Murphy of Gilead; brother-in-law, Leslie Johnston of South Deerfield, Mass.; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband; her parents; her brothers, Robert, William, Ray, Roy and Frank; an adopted sister, Josephine Murphy; and a brother-in-law, Charles Mason II.