Joan Smith Joyce

Joan Smith Joyce, age 94, of Havertown, PA, passed away peacefully on December 19, 2025 in the same Havertown home where she and her beloved “Jim” raised their large and loyal family.

She was a dozen things to a hundred people—daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She was an athlete, a loyal friend, a devoted wife, the mother-and-laundress-in-chief of 7 children born in 9 years, and the best Nana in the world. But most of all she was ours, and by God’s grace, she’s now His, for all eternity.

Active members of Sacred Heart parish since 1958, Jim and Joan loved Havertown, especially their community of friends on Country Club Lane and at the Catholic War Vets. Joan’s stories chronicled a rich life of holiday dinners, block parties, baptisms, sports games, graduations, joys, and sorrows. Conservative estimates claim that Joan personally cooked Thanksgiving turkey for nearly 1,300 guests over the years, along with something like 80,300 servings of dinner (and nearly as many peeled potatoes), and wrapped at least 3,000 Christmas presents. She was the living heart of her home and our family: the joyful “how are you?” on the other end of the phone line, the laughing smile as you came through the door, the incredible memory to keep straight the details happening in the lives of each person she loved. Meeting her first two great-granddaughters this year was a crowning sweetness in her life fully given in service to her beloved family.

We trust that Joan is now reunited with “her Jim,” who preceded her in death after 64 years of marriage. They were truly a case of “love at first sight” - she spotted him walking into the Catholic Young Women’s Club, he asked her to dance, and they were inseparable for the next seven decades. A tribute to lifelong love, they both said over and over what a joy they found in their children, grandchildren, and friends. They worked together at Jim’s accounting business, and to the end you could still find them sharing a 3pm glass of wine in the living room. Joan’s family will miss her warm laugh on the phone, her joy when you walked through the front door, trips to Sea Isle, and her daily Rosary prayers for each of her family members by name."

Joan was the beloved wife of the late James F. Joyce, Sr. Loving mother of John (Jane), James Jr. (the late Marie), Francis (Kate), Thomas (Jo-Ann), Robert (Stella), Joan, and Judith. Adoring grandmother of Lauren, Alison, Hayley, Robert (Kate), Megan (Brian), James, Thomas, Steven (Alex), and Jaclyn. Caring great grandmother of Emily and Quinn. Devoted sister of Robert T. Smith and the late Francis Smith (Bea) and Dolores McNulty (Tom).

Family and friends are invited to Joan’s Viewing 9:30-11:30 AM on Saturday, December 27, 2025 at The Donohue Funeral Home, Upper Darby, PA 19082, followed by her Funeral Mass at 12:30 PM at Sacred Heart Church, 105 Wilson Ave, Havertown, PA 19083. Interment SS Peter & Paul Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sacred Heart Church, 105 Wilson Ave, Havertown, PA 19083.