Joyce Ila Mae Pike

1935 - 2015

July 30, 1935 – October 11, 2015

Mrs. Joyce Ila Mae Pike, age 80 years, passed away peacefully in St. Joseph's Hospital – Unit 4 South on Sunday, October 11, 2015 with her family by her side.

Joyce was a pillar of true strength, a tremendous mentor and inspiration to all that knew her. She always had an open and lending ear for all that needed her. Joyce loved helping people and Nursing became her chosen profession. She started as a Nursing Assistant, at which she worked for many years. Striving for more, Joyce continued her education and at the age of 50, received her Registered Nursing Degree (RN), making her family very proud. She worked at the Spence Clinic, Thunder Bay District Health Unit and nursed at McKellar and other hospitals, before finishing her career at St. Joseph's Hospice.

Joyce was born in South Gillies on July 30, 1935 to William and Ila Dean and grew up attending school in South Gillies and Fort William. She was married on July 17, 1953 to her loving husband, Richard Pike and together they had two children, Patsy and John. As a family, they loved to camp and fish and together, they built the family camp at Sandstone Lake, where they spent many enjoyable weekends and holidays. Joyce was also a gambler at heart and loved playing the one armed bandits at casinos, to which she always said she would be winning, making money and hardly ever losing.

Joyce will be dearly missed by her husband of 62 years, Richard; daughter Patsy (Lawrence) Duncan; daughter-in-law Donna Pike; grandchildren Christopher Duncan, Karen (CJ) Joseph, Jason (Ashley) Pike and Michelle Pike and great-grandchildren Steven, Emillie, Isabel and Jack. She is also survived by her half-brother Mervin (Linda) Vizina and numerous other relatives.

She was predeceased by her parents, William and Ila Dean; son John Pike and sister Sylvia Stoyka.

The family would like to give very special thanks to the nurses and staff at St. Joseph's Hospital – 4 South for the excellent care and compassion given to Joyce. They said Joyce was a model patient, never complaining. They returned to her what she had given to so many others until retiring from the same place, St. Joseph's Hospice - Love, Care and Compassion.

Cremation has taken place and a private family interment will be held at a later date. Should friends so desire, donations made in memory of Joyce to the Arthritis Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation or St. Joseph's Care Group would be greatly appreciated.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Westfort Chapel, 420 West Gore Street at James.

Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com