Phyllis Joyce

Phyllis Joyce, 89, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2025 in her home in Malden, Massachusetts. Phyllis was born in Oakdale, Maine in 1936 surrounded by her parents, 3 sisters and 1 brother. Her family moved to South Boston when she was a young child where she graduated from South Boston High School. She met and married the one and only true love of her life, Paul V. Joyce, Sr., in 1956. They started their lives living in Dorchester and then moved to Malden in 1976. Phyllis had 3 children, 3 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She worked as a soda jerk at Liggets drug store in South Boston, moved on to serving at Howard Johnsons in Dorchester, and was then employed at the Harvard Club in Boston where she retired in 2006. Shortly after that, she became a lunch lady at the Forestdale Elementary School in Malden where she worked until 2016.
Phyllis will be remembered for her kind, gentle and fun ways. Her children remember her as a generous, loving and nurturing mother. As a grandmother, her granddaughter Erin says she wasn't the typical grandma making cookies or cakes, she'd give you peeled grapes and American cheese and crackers. Her granddaughters Amanda and Colleen agree that she was simply the best. Her great-granddaughters had much to say too – Cheyenne said that MeMa loved to play the dollar game, eat cheese and share pizza with her; Charlotte said that she loved to go to MeMa's, it was fun!
Some things Phyllis enjoyed were bowling, dancing, singing, playing cards and going to the casino to play slot machines. She believed it was important to stay active. She walked everywhere and participated in any kind of class offered at the Monsignor Neagle, whether it involved crafts or exercise. She lived on the 6th floor and would often walk up and down the stairs rather than using the elevator. In fact, she did that up until a couple of years ago when she was told by building management not to do that anymore for safety reasons.
Phyllis was predeceased by her husband Paul V. Joyce, Sr. and her son, Thomas Joyce. She is survived by her son, Paul V. Joyce, Jr. and his wife, Elena; Diane M. Scannell and her husband, Bill; her 3 granddaughters Erin Baker (and her husband Ryan), Amanda Carr (and her husband Anthony), and Colleen Joyce; her 2 great-granddaughters, Cheyenne Baker and Charlotte Baker. Phyllis's memory will be cherished by many other family members including her sister, Mary Lou Dolphyn of Georgia and her family, the Galvin families, the Fisher family, the Jalbert family, the Capuzzo families and the Boland family.
A Celebration of Life Service to honor the life of Phyllis Joyce will be held on Sunday, July 27, 2025 @ Noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Loyal Order of Moose, 562 Broadway, Malden, MA.
Although Phyllis's physical presence will no longer be with us, her spirit will continue to inspire us to remember to live life to the fullest while having the most fun.