Joyce Elizabeth Somerville

Joyce Somerville passed away on Tuesday, February 24 th following a courageous five-year battle with dementia. Joyce was 91 years old.

Born Joyce Elizabeth Crowe in Vancouver, BC Canada on September 1, 1934, to the late Raymond Grant Crowe and Jessie Waddell McCrimmon (Duff) Crowe. Joyce had very fond memories of growing up in Vancouver, though she would always remember her 5 th birthday, when on September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, marking the official start of World War II. Instead of celebrating little Joyce's birthday, the family gathered around the radio listening to the news of the outbreak of war. Soon her older brother Bert would be overseas serving in the Canadian military. Growing up in bustling Vancouver, Joyce enjoyed swimming in English Bay, snow skiing the area mountains with her father, and summer trips to her Aunt Edith's home on Kawkawa Lake in Hope, BC. Following her graduation from Kitsilano Secondary School, Joyce attended the University of British Columbia (UBC) to pursue her elementary teaching credentials. It was at UBC where Joyce met the love of her life, Ronald Somerville, during a freshman dance social. In 1955, Joyce and Ron married, and following stops in Michigan and California, in 1968 Joyce and Ron settled in rural West Lafayette. There they would raise their family of six children (four boys and two girls) and become an integral part of the Greater Lafayette and Purdue Communities. Along with countless hours spent at her kid's sporting events, swimming meets, and school-related activities, Joyce was an active and involved Mom. She especially loved the family summer vacations along Lake Michigan, a much-needed rest for such a busy Mother.

Joyce was an outspoken supporter of the Civil Rights Movement and a strong advocate for women's rights who pushed for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. In May of 1968, Joyce had a chance encounter with Robert F. Kennedy while he was visiting Lafayette during his campaign for President, a moment she never forgot as RFK was assassinated just a few months later. Joyce was also very politically active, joining the local League of Women Voters. There she worked to increase voter registration, host local candidate debates, and provide area residents with the desire, knowledge, and confidence to participate in elections. In 1973, Joyce was elected to serve as President of the Greater Lafayette League of Women Voters, becoming the first Democrat to hold that office. In addition, when a member of the Tippecanoe County Area Plan Commission unexpectedly passed away, Joyce was asked to step in to fill this important role. She continued in that position for several years, owing to her strong sense of civic duty and her commitment to supporting the Greater Lafayette Community.

In 1975, Joyce enrolled at Ivy Tech to become a licensed Respiratory Therapist. For nearly twenty years, Joyce worked at Home Hospital, mostly nights, treating patients with compassion and care and gaining the love and respect of both patients and hospital staff.

Joyce was also an avid reader. She was a member of several book clubs over the years, and her appetite for reading was legendary, particularly in fictional mystery/crime thrillers and historical fiction. Joyce also loved to travel, and as her children grew and began their own adult lives, Joyce and Ron travelled all over the world, visiting numerous destinations including China, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, India, the Caribbean, Alaska and much of Europe over the years. Always proud of her Canadian heritage, Joyce also made a point of returning to Canada often to visit family, and to share the beautiful Vancouver area with her children and grandchildren. Joyce was also a strong patron of the Canadian National Theatre and made visits each summer with Ron and family to Stratford, Ontario for the annual Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

Joyce was also a passionate sports fan. Joyce and Ron were season ticket holders for Purdue men's basketball and football for over 40 years, and she was an avid Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers football fan as well. A trip with Ron and her children to watch the Boilermakers play in the 2001 Rose Bowl was one of her fondest memories. When Joyce retired, she and Ron would spend several months each winter as snowbirds, enjoying warmer weather in Gulf Shores, Alabama and later in Ponce Inlet Florida with her son and daughter-in-law.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Ronald, her older brother Bert, and by her daughter Vivienne and her son Gordon. She is survived by her children Gregory (wife Melissa) in Sugar Land, Texas; Kenneth (wife Tracy) in Ponce Inlet, Florida; daughter Victoria (Giese, husband Tom) in Green Bay, Wisconsin; and son Daniel (partner Nicole) in West Lafayette. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren, Erin, Ian, Nate, Grant, Ben, and Seth, as well as her great-grandchildren Henry and Danya.

Joyce will always be remembered for her love and dedication to her family, and for her strong spirit and passion for life. Services for Joyce Somerville will be on Sunday, March 8 th, with visitation at 10:00 am and funeral at 11:00 am at the Soller Baker Chapel in West Lafayette.