Name: Calling hours for James J. Joy
Start: 2023-04-17T21:00:00.000Z
End: 2023-04-17T23:00:00.000Z
Location: Molloy Funeral Home - West Hartford

Peacefully and comfortably, James J. Joy ("Jim") of West Hartford passed away, Wednesday, April 12, 2023, after a long battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Born in Hartford, CT – the son of Michael and Margaret (Kavanaugh) Joy – he and his late wife Ann (Kicin) made their home in West Hartford for the past 55 years. After graduating from Manchester High School, he received his BA from the University of Connecticut and his MBA from the University of Hartford. He was at the forefront of personal computing and custom database design and started his own consulting company, Joy Associates, in 1978. Jim was a lecturer at the Hartford Graduate Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Connecticut and former president of the Hartford chapter of the Association for Systems Management. When not found golfing or cooking, Jim loved to travel, logging hundreds of thousands of miles in his Volvo station wagon. He was a proud and loving father to his six children, adored his grandchildren and was a kind friend to every dog in the neighborhood. He is survived by his children: Paul M. Joy (wife Jessica) of Wilton, CT, Susan M. Joy, M.D. (husband Scott Dilyard) of Sacramento, CA, James M. Joy (wife Catherine) of Norfolk, MA, David J. Joy of Arlington, VA, Michael J. Joy (wife Ellen) of Charlottesville, VA, and John D. Joy of Pittsburgh, PA; his sister and brother-in-law Marian and Francis Murphy of Windsor, CT; his sister-in-law Helen (Kicin) Malm and her husband William of Tequesta, FL; nine nieces and nephews; his loving companion Marie Healey of West Hartford, and his grandchildren Matthew, Anna, Sarah, William, Louis, Bryce, Zoe, Andrew, Ila, and Cameron Joy. He was predeceased by his wife of 34 years, Ann, his grandson Peter Wells Joy, his brother and sister-in-law John and Marjorie Joy, his sister and brother-in-law Kathleen and William McCarthy and his parents. Calling hours are Monday, April 17, 5-7 p.m., at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave. West Hartford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 872 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford on Tuesday, April 18 at 10:00 a.m. A family burial will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Connecticut Children's in his name. Gifts can be made online at www.connecticutchildrensfoundation.org. Directions and online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

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Published by Hartford Courant on Apr. 14, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for James Joy

Sponsored by the family.

3 Entries

David Schor

May 16, 2023

To Paul, Susan, Jimmy, David, Michael, and John, and Aunty Helen, and Madame Healey: I am sincerely sorry for your loss. If I may, I wish to share a fond memory of Mr. Joy. In the eary '80s, at age 13 or 14, Paul and I went into business mowing lawns. I should not lament that kids these days aren't as enterprising, because our own ambitions were about one lawn per day, maybe an hour of work. In addition to 3 or 4 true customers, we also, naturally, did the yard work for our own families. I recall a late summer day where Mr. Joy was impressed enough with our work that he re-mowed his lawn. That probably happened more than once, and, in itself, was not the thing that stuck with me. It's that Mr. Joy also had an amazing vegetable garden along the fence at the far end of the backyard, with a lush crop of tomatoes coming in (full size tomatoes, not cherry tomatoes). On this day, with one hand still guiding the self-propelled Honda mower, he picked a big ripe tomato off the vine and ate it just like one might eat an apple picked from a tree. It never occurred to me that one could eat a tomato this way. But this memory has stuck with me, and has been my defining vision of success at home vegetable gardening. I hope you are all well. May James Joy's memory be a blessing for you. -David Schor

Joy Boden Hundley

April 17, 2023

So sorry Jim to learn of your dad´s passing. What a wonderful life he lived and legacy of children and grandchildren. Love to you and Kate from Joy Boden Hundley and all this part of the family.

Matt Walsh

April 14, 2023

Paul and siblings---condolences from the Walshes on the passing of your dear dad. I remember Mr. Joy so well from growing up. He was always so proud of all of you and your achievements. I also recall how well informed he was about pretty much everything--if you were headed somewhere, Mr. Joy always seemed to know exactly how to get there. I'll keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

Best,

Matt

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