Joyce Ann (Isom) Sylvia

JOYCE A. (ISOM) SYLVIA PASSED PEACEFULLY ON AUGUST 22, 2022, AT THE MIRIAM HOSPITAL SURROUNDED BY HER LOVING FAMILY.

BORN JOYCE ANN ISOM IN PROVIDENCE TO PARENTS CLARENCE ISOM SR. AND ANNA (CARRINGTON) ISOM, SHE WAS A GRADUATE OF HOPE HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE SCHOOL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.  THIS WOULD SET A TREND THAT WOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT HER LIFE.  WHILE GROWING UP IN WEST ELMWOOD, JOYCE MARRIED HER LONGTIME FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR, THE LATE WILLIAM B. SYLVIA TO WHOM SHE WAS MARRIED TO FOR MORE THAN FORTY-FOUR YEARS BEFORE HIS PASSING.  WHILE DYING IN HER ARMS HIS LAST WORDS WERE “I LOVE YOU JOYCE, I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOU.”  WHILE LIVING A VERY HAPPY LIFE TOGETHER THE COUPLE ENJOYED THE BIRTH OF TWO CHILDREN, A DAUGHTER, TERRESE AND SON TERRENCE WHO COMPLETED THEIR HAPPY LITTLE RENDITION OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY.

ONE OF JOYCE’S OCCUPATIONS PROVIDED DAYCARE TO MANY YOUNGSTERS FOR MORE THAN FORTY YEARS. SHE WAS ALSO THE OWNER OF A PROFITABLE PRINT SERVICE FOR MANY YEARS.  UNFORTUNATELY, SHORTLY AFTER RETIRING FROM SUCH A PRODUCTIVE LIFE WITH BILLY, JOYCE WAS WIDOWED FOR THE REST OF HER 80 YEARS. HOWEVER, AS WAS IN HER NATURE, SHE SPENT THE REST OF HER LIFE CONTINUING TO BE SOCIALLY PRODUCTIVE AND HAPPY.

JOYCE WAS A LONGTIME MEMBER OF HOPE CHURCH IN PROVIDENCE. LATER IN HER LIFE SHE SPENT SOME OF HER TIME WORKING FOR CASEY FAMILY SERVICES WHERE SHE WROTE GRANT PROPOSALS AND HELPED LESS FORTUNATE FAMILIES GAIN A STRONGER FOOTING IN LIFE THROUGH THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.  ONE OF HER MOST ENJOYABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WAS BEING A MEMBER OF THE GRAND DIVAS. A GROUP OF FABULOUS WOMEN LIKE HERSELF WHO REMINDED US ALL THAT GROWING OLDER DOESN’T MEAN YOU HALF TO GROW INACTIVE. AFTER RETIRING A SECOND TIME JOYCE SPENT THE REST OF HER LIFE LIVING WITH HER DAUGHTER AND GROWING EVEN CLOSER TO HER SON WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HER COMFORT.  SHE WAS BEST FRIEND TO BOTH OF HER CHILDREN AND SHOWERED THEM WITH THE KIND OF LOVE AND AFFECTION THAT RADIATED OUTWARD TOWARD EVERYONE SHE MET.  HER MANY GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN ADORED HER UNTIL THE DAY SHE DIED.

SO NOW AS JOYCE LEAVES HER EARTHLY FAMILY TO JOIN HER HEAVENLY ONE, WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT A GLORIOUS REUNMION THAT WILL BECOME.  AND MOST SIGNIFICANTLY JOYCE WILL REUNITE WITH THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, WILLIAM. WE ARE TRULY HAPPY FOR JOYCE WHO HAS GONE ON TO GLORY AND WE WILL MISS HER DEARLY. BECAUSE SHE LEAVES SO MANY OF US PINING FOR JUST ONE MORE FUNNY CONVERSATION, OR JUST ONE MORE HUG TO SAY I LOVE YOU.

THOSE LEFT BEHIND INCLUDE DAUGHTER TERRESE L. SYLVIA-ABDULLAH OF RIVERSIDE, RI, SON TERRENCE L. SYLVIA OF PROVIDENCE, RI.  ALSO, NINE GRANDCHILDREN WHOM SHE SPOILED AS SHE DID HER OWN CHILDREN, AND ELEVEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WHO DIDN’T GET TO KNOW HER AS THEY SHOULD. SHE LEAVES AUNTS; UNCLES, COUSINS AND LIFELONG FRIENDS WHO LOVE HER SO, AS WE REMEMBER AND SAY GOODBYE TO THIS EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN WHO TAUGHT US KINDNESS, FORGIVENESS, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE, AND MOST OF ALL GRACE, PLEASE DON’T BE SO SAD. BECAUSE JOYCE WOULDN’T WANT IT THAT WAY. EIGHTY YEARS OF A LIFE WELL LIVED IS A TESTAMENT TO WHAT GOD GIVES AND WHAT HE REWARDS INTO ETERNITY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LOVE AND ADORATION YOU GAVE TO OUR MOTHER FOR A LIFETIME AND BEYOND. YOUR LOVE IS RECIPROCATED.

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