Joyce Bok

SHERWOOD - Joyce Bok, 89, of Sherwood passed away surrounded by her family on Sunday June 15, 2025 at the Gardens of Paulding.

She was born August 27, 1935, of Olen J. and Lois (Scott) Glick in Paulding, Ohio.

She attended Emmett School single-room schoolhouse, later graduating Valedictorian from Sherwood Delaware High School in 1953. She then earned her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the Defiance College Cadet Program. Joyce taught a year in Sylvania, and then spent the remaining 29 years teaching for Sherwood Elementary and Mark Center Elementary for Central Local Schools.

Joyce was very active in the Altar Rosary Society of St. Stephen's, The Bend, where she taught CCD. More recently, she belonged to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Defiance, where she was a volunteer and board member for the food pantry. She had been a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Delta Zeta chapter for Key Women Educators. Joyce was a Charter Member and served as president and treasurer for the Sherwood Area Professional Women's Club. She was also involved with the Sherwood Lion's Club.

She was a compassionate, amazing, faithful servant, a beloved teacher, and fabulous mom, Maw-ma, and grandma. She loved teaching in and out of the classroom. Her hobbies included crocheting hundreds of afghans for family and friends, being an avid bowler and collector of dandelions. She loved watching wildlife out her picture window. Performing puppet shows with Puppets By Boks, and singing with her husband and children.

In her earlier years, she enjoyed singing, playing saxophone in the swing band with her husband and mother, playing cards with friends and family, supporting her children and grandchildren's many activities, and watching sports on television or at the ballfield.

Later in life, at the Garden's she enjoyed playing bingo, doing arts and crafts, playing penny pitch and trivia, roaming the halls in her motorized scooter to chat with friends, all while connecting with former students at every turn.

Joyce is survived by her son Michael Bok (Jane Garvin) of Van Wert, Ohio. Daughters, Suzanne (Charles) Cox of Rossford, Ohio, Paula (Doug) DeCola of Ney, Ohio, Barbara Burger of Fairborn, Ohio, grandchildren; Andrea (Corey) Boldon of Cleveland, Ohio, Bruce (Christi) Bok of Convoy, Ohio, Elise DeCola (Matt Cooper) of Indianapolis, Indiana, Kevin Cox (Jacqueline Adan) of San Mateo, California, Daniel (Shali) Cox of Green Springs, Ohio, Erica DeCola (Hunter Steingass) of Bryan, Ohio, Grace Burger of Dayton, Ohio, Ben Burger (Madalaine Caron) of Kettering, Ohio, great-grandchildren; Lily, Dana, Ivy Bok of Convoy, Ohio, Allison Cox of Green Springs, Ohio, and Augustus Burger of Kettering, Ohio.

She was preceded in death by her parents Olen and Lois Glick, husband H. Gene Bok, daughter Teresa Bok.

Visitation will be held from 2-8 p.m. on Wednesday June 18 at Schaffer Funeral Home South, Lawson-Roessner Chapel (1753 S. Clinton Street) in Defiance OH, with a Virgil Service at 2 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday June 19 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Defiance with Fr. Jason D'Souza officiating. Burial will follow at Sherwood Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the H. Gene and Joyce Bok Memorial Scholarship.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests backpacks and/or school supply donations that will be distributed to Holy Cross Catholic School, The Bryan Center for Autism, and St. Aloysius Catholic School. Online condolences can be given at www.Schafferfh.com.