1913 – 2010

TURNER — Doris M. (Bryant) Joyce, 97, of Bowdoinham went to be with her Lord and Savior after a courageous battle with multiple health issues on July 20, surrounded by her loved ones at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn and Frederick Davis.

She was born in Livermore on May 14, 1913, to Daniel and Alice (Cummings) Bryant. She gave her heart to Jesus when she was 5 years old while at a child’s evangelism meeting and was baptized in the Cliftondale Church of the Nazarene in Cliftondale, Mass., at the age of 12. On Dec. 2, 1938, she married her sweetheart, the Rev. Harland C. Joyce of Winthrop, Mass. Together they raised five children in their Christian home. They were married for more than 46 years until his death in 1985.

In 1936 she graduated from the Eastern Nazarene College Academy in Wollaston, Mass., and continued at Eastern Nazarene College until May 1938. She received her B.S. in education from the University of Maine in June 1970. She taught first grade in Richmond until moving to Bowdoinham in 1955. There she started her private “Joyce Kindergarten” and taught five years while caring for her youngest son, John Joyce. She was then hired to teach at the Coombs Elementary School in Bowdoinham and later at Bowdoin Central Elementary School, retiring in 1977 after teaching kindergarten and primary school for a total of 16 years. Her great love of children and teaching continued until her passing as she softly spoke to each grandchild and great-grandchild, holding their hands and speaking her words of wisdom. They always brought her a smile.

Alongside her husband, Rev. Joyce, she served the Churches of the Nazarene in Franklin, Mass., and Richmond and Bowdoinham for over 45 years as a pastor’s wife and in supporting roles as Sunday school teacher and missionary president. Throughout the years, she is fondly remembered for designing and building over 30 award-winning church and kindergarten floats for the Bowdoinham parade. Reverend and Mrs. Joyce were instrumental in the development of Richmond Nazarene Campground, a Christian summer camp, and church revival meeting place located in Richmond. Rev. Joyce served as its first camp manager while Mrs. Joyce worked in the dining hall creating special desserts. They got their whole family involved by running the Campground Store and they later purchased a cottage that their family enjoyed for many years. Camp Meeting was a real spiritual renewal for not just the Joyce Family, but hundreds of other people as well.

In her spare time, she enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting and cooking. Her grandchildren fondly remember her delicious homemade doughnuts, cream puffs and fancy desserts that she served at family gatherings. She also loved to read and spend time with her family. She was a devoted pastor’s wife and a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to her family and will be greatly missed.

For many years, she was cared for by her son, Dan Joyce and his wife, Kathy, as well as her son, John Joyce, at her home in Bowdoinham, until recently, when she stayed at Hospice House in Auburn for nine weeks before finally being moved to the home of her daughter, Marilyn Davis and her husband, Fred, in Turner.

She is survived by her five children and their families; Richard Joyce of Wilmington, Vt., and his children, Benjamin Joyce and his wife, Sieglinde, Kevin Joyce and his wife, Mary, and Naricha Savanorke-Joyce; the Rev. Daniel Joyce and his wife, Kathleen, of Bowdoinham and their son, Darren Joyce and his wife, Ruth; Marilyn Davis and her husband, Frederick, of Turner and their children, Laura Davis and her husband, Peter Rinck, Frederick Davis Jr. and his fiance, Karen Hathaway, Jennifer Davis, Jeremiah Davis and his fiance, Vivian Briggs, and Isaiah Davis; Carolyn Morse and her husband, Wayne Morse of Quincy, Massachusetts and their children, Alisa (Morse) Fisher and her husband, the Rev. Donn Fisher, and Alan Morse and his wife Erin; and John Joyce of Bowdoinham; 21 great-grandchildren; two nieces, Gale Durin and Elaine Bryant; a nephew, Gordon Joyce; several cousins as well as Judith Morse of Bowdoinham, whom she lovingly referred to as her other “daughter”; and her best friend of 85 years, Geraldine Haley of Cliftondale, Mass.

She was pre-deceased by her husband, the Rev. Harland C. Joyce; one brother, Paul Bryant; and two nieces and two nephews.

The family would like to send heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice as well as Hospice House for their gentle, respectful care of Mrs. Joyce as well as family friends, Barbara, Cindy and Pat who helped provide exceptional in-home care for Mrs. Joyce over the past several years.