Richard Stone Joyce

March 3, 1920 — March 12, 2009

Richard, also known as Dick, was the cherished son of Margaret and William Joyce. He was their only child and he was deeply loved by them both. Dick often recounted tales of his childhood which spanned the schools and neighborhoods of Stoneham, the dining table of his grandmother's house in Winchester, and the beaches, ponds, and characters that enriched his life when visiting his other grandmother in Wellfleet, Cape Cod.

Dick loved the memories of his childhood and never lost the spirit of being a child himself. When his daughters were born in 1960 and 1963, this provided him the joy of a second childhood. As parenthood brought on greater responsibilities, Dick always saw through the challenges and recreated for his family the joyful childhood that he so fervently believed in. His wife Mary shared his family values and together they provided the love, support and fun spirit that continues to bind their daughters, son-in-laws and grandchildren to this day. Richard took his girls skiing, to watch the Stoneham-Reading Thanksgiving football game, nutting in the local woods, to the horse racing tracks at Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park, to see Elton John at Foxboro, to see Arthur Fiedler's final Fourth of July Hatch Shell performance, to see the tall ships in Boston Harbor

The 1985 movie A Christmas Story personified his view of life - happiness is achieved through the magical lens of childhood. Richard Joyce is first and foremost a loving and supportive husband, father, and grandfather.

After graduating from Stoneham High School in 1939, Richard began attending Northeastern University. With the US entry into World War 2, Dick enlisted in the US Navy, where he met John Keating. Dick introduced John to his close cousin and friend Jean, which ultimately led to Jean and John getting married.

Dick shipped out on a Destroyer Escort to the South Pacific in the midst of World War 2, so it is no wonder that he loved Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific when it was produced. The navy took Richard across the US in trains, where he was enthralled by the wonders of the US. Snow drifts in the Sierra Mountains melted into the palm tree-lined streets of Sacramento within a short two hour train ride. His stint in the South Pacific brought him to exotic ports like Bora Bora, and the Philippine Islands. Dick was grateful to God for having kept him safe throughout the war. He was also grateful for meeting John Keating as Jean and John remained his closest family/friends for the rest of their lives.

After World War 2, Richard earned his bachelor's degree from Northeastern University. His wander-lust returned, and in the early 1950's he took a job with the US government in Japan. Living in Asia provided him with an openness and awareness of different ideas and cultures. His visits to Hong Kong added to his appreciation of all that the world had to offer. He happily returned to his parents in Stoneham, and observed his own home corner of the country with the eyes of a traveler - appreciative of the beauty of Boston, the beaches of Cape Cod and the mountains of New Hampshire.

His new job was in Cambridge along Memorial Drive. Socializing with his workmates was always delightful for Dick, and through this social network, and an inter-company bowling league, he met his future wife Mary Galvin. Their courtship was full of fun activities like bowling and golfing. They happily married on May 10, 1959, and neither of them ever forgot the importance of fun and companionship in their truly happy marriage.

Richard and Mary moved to Reading in 1964. Dick loved his house and his yard, and when he added a deck onto the back of the house, it became a favorite summer relaxation spot. Dick loved his house, and as he grew older, his love for his house grew. His house was plenty big to have his children and grandchildren visiting, but was not too big when it was just Mary and Dick at home.

Dick enjoyed his career in the paper industry thanks to the people he met. He loved socializing on Friday evenings after work at the Front Page in Charlestown. He had mixed feelings about retirement because he loved to be with people. He loved to laugh and to make others laugh too. He loved Laurel and Hardy, Abbot and Costello, and Bob Newhart.

Richard's happiest moments were spent with family members at his home, with everybody getting along and having fun. He welcomed his son-in-laws Farrukh and Michael into his family. He was generally a quiet man, and his sharp wit sometimes took people by surprise. To know him was to know that he would never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings. He was a kind, gentle, and generous man. We miss him.

Richard was the beloved husband for 49 years of Mary L. (Galvin) Joyce. He was the devoted father of Nancy Najmi and her husband Farrukh of Reading and Barbara Szatkowski and her husband Michael of Buxton, Maine. Richard was the cherished grandfather of Danyal, Omar Richard and Farid Najmi and Alexander, Andrew and Mary Szatkowski.

Funeral from the Doherty - Barile Family Funeral Home, 11 Linden St. READING Monday at 8am followed by a Funeral Mass celebrating Richard's life in St. Agnes Church, 186 Woburn St. Reading at 9am. Family and friends are kindly invited to gather and share remembrances with the Family on Sunday from 2-5pm in the Funeral Home. Parking attendants will be available. Interment Charles Lawn Memorial Park, Reading.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Richard to St. Agnes Christmas Fund, 186 Woburn St. Reading, MA 01867.

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Richard Stone Joyce

March 3, 1920 — March 12, 2009

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