Joyce Tormey

Joyce Kathleen Tormey passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on March 2, 2025. She was 91 years old. She is survived by the love of her life, her husband of 66 years, Thomas Tormey, her cherished children Thomas Tormey (Stephanie), Joanne Shultz (Craig), John Tormey (Elle) and Kenny Tormey (Nancie), her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and her dear niece, Kathy Restivo.
Joyce was born and raised in Glendale, NY, the youngest of four children to the late John ("Jack") and Jeannette Stanton. She graduated from Richmond Hill High School and worked as a secretary for various companies in New York City and on Long Island during the following years. A short time after she met her future husband Tom, he was drafted into the army and stationed in Leghorn, Italy during the Korean war. The distance could not keep them apart; the two corresponded regularly and when Tom returned they resumed dating, and were married on August 23, 1958.
Joyce began her married life with Tom living briefly in Bridgeport Connecticut. A job transfer for Tom led them to Commack, L.I., and while the children were still young they moved to Millington, NJ where they built a house, raised their children, and lived happily for 23 years. During those years Joyce enjoyed traveling with Tom, and other couples they were close with through Tom's work at Xerox. Together they visited many beautiful parts of the country as well as Nova Scotia, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Aruba, Bermuda, Mexico, and Ireland.
Joyce had a lifelong strong Christian faith, was active in her church and community, spent many hours volunteering, and was a staunch defender of anyone vulnerable or in need. She was civic minded, and wrote several letters of concern to the White House over the years.
If you knew Joyce, she was your biggest cheerleader. She had the warmest, kindest heart, the brightest spirit, and a laugh that will always be remembered. She made friends everywhere she went. She naturally and effortlessly knew how to comfort and lift others. She not only valued respect, honesty, kindness, and compassion, she lived those values.
Joyce's greatest joy in her life was her husband and children. She loved the simple pleasures: listening to music at home and at concerts, spontaneously dancing with Tom across their kitchen floor, baking Christmas cookies with her kids, preparing phenomenal Italian dishes she learned from her late sister-in-law Rose, playing card games and board games with her children and grandchildren, reading mysteries, crocheting blankets for everyone in the family and every newborn baby that came along, and making photo books and scrap books as remembrances of all the joyful family celebrations.
Joyce was simply the best. Her beauty, love of life, energetic spirit and deep faith will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her. A celebration of life will take place at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at stjude.org or by mail to 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105.