June 3, 1934 - February 17, 2021
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Dorothy Joyce Puska (nee McNichol) at the age of 86. Joyce passed peacefully at Wexford Creek Senior's Community home in Nanaimo, where she had spent the last year of her life.
Joyce is survived by her daughter Irene, sons Ted (Heather) & Terry (Shannon). 7 grandchildren, Wendy (Eric), Michael (Lisa), Kris (Kolbi), Teddy (Pam), Jeff (Rina), Ryan (Katka) & Nicole. Her 14 great-grandchildren, Shelby (Steve), Sierra, Nick, Matt, Brittney (Andrew), Savana, Adam, Taylor (Tyler), Brooklyn, Carter, Chase, Allie, Sophie & Vivien. Nephew Dennis Brown, Neices Patty Unger, Leslie Sprecker, Janet Brown and Gayla Hunter.
In 2016, Joyce became a proud great-great grandmother with the birth of Jaxon Kennedy Springett.
Joyce was predeceased by her parents Dorothy (1958) & Bill (1972), 2 brothers Ken (1986) & Bill. Her husband Ray (1994), devoted friend Jack Hogg (2007), Sister's in-law Doreen Brown (2013), Jody McNichol (2018), Brother in-law WT (Bill) Brown (2007), her dear friend Betty Thomson (2016), great granddaughter Tianne Kennedy (2017) and her son-in-law Bob Whitmore (2019).
Joyce was born and grew up in Chemainus. After graduating high school in Ladysmith Joyce married her sweetheart Ray, they raised their 3 children, living on White St for 43 years. After Ray's sudden passing in 1994, Joyce moved to the Villa Apts, where she lived for 25 yrs.
In her younger years Joyce was an avid bowler & loved to play the piano and organ. Joyce and Ray loved to dance and party with their best friends Ev & Frank Crucil. They loved to travel, trips to Scotland, England, Hawaii, Las Vegas and Reno were on the menu after the kids left home.
Joyce never did get her driver's license, so with 3 kids in tow, she would walk up & down Roberts St. to do the weekly grocery shopping at Gourlay's Red & White and pick up the mail at Esplanade.
Even with their busy schedule, Ray & Joyce never missed their son's baseball or hockey games.
Joyce received her 50 year pin as a member of Sharon Chapter #4, Order of the Eastern Star. As well, she was a member of the Fraternal Oder of Eagles, where she was on the drill team. She also belonged to the Old Age Pensioners and loved her weekly lawn bowling.
A heart felt thank you to the care partners at Wexford Creek, your compassionate care of mom over the past 13 months has been sincerely appreciated.
Due to Covid, there are no plans for a service. Mom wanted the song "Spirit in the sky" (1970) played at her service, so next time you hear this song, think of mom and the many fond memories you have of her.
No flowers please. If you'd like to donate to your favorite charity, mom would love that.
"Don't cry because it's over.....smile because it happened".