Joyce (Tyler) Welch

NEWBURYPORT - On Saturday, August 5, 2023, Joyce Kimball Tyler Welch of Newburyport, MA, died at the amazing age of 96. She was born in Boston on May 11th, 1927 to Daniel and Jean (Kimball) Tyler, Jr., and was sister of the late Joan T. Rogers and Judith T. Davis (of Stamford, CT). Joyce was raised in Brookline, MA, moved to Marblehead after her wedding, and then spent many years in Weston, followed by Centerville, Groveland and finally Newburyport. Joyce was always gracious, loved family gatherings large and small, and was determined to stay busy and productive right to the end.

Joyce completed her first two years of high school at Brookline High, her last two at Beaver Country Day, and then attended Wheaton College in Norton, MA. She originally intended to be a math major. Thinking that sounded boring, she switched gears and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics! After graduation, Joyce taught first and second grades in three different school systems and, among other jobs, worked as an Administrative Assistant for Massachusetts Governor Christian Herter.

On March 17th, 1956, Joyce went on a first date with Hillard (Hid) W. Welch, the man she would marry less than four months later. The marriage lasted sixty-six years and produced three daughters, Hollis (Holly) Sullivan of Waltham, MA, Sherrill (Sherry) Roach of Topsfield, MA (Roger Roach), and Wendell (Wendy) Orlando of Boulder, CO (John Orlando), and eight grandchildren: Daniel, James, Bridget and Nora Sullivan, Paul and Charles Roach, and Marcus and Mary Orlando.

After the birth of her girls, Joyce became a stay-at-home mom as well as one of the greatest volunteers of all time. She ran playgroups and was a Brownie troop leader. She sang in her church choir and served on almost every committee the church had. She volunteered in many roles at the Weston Drama Workshop, including serving as president. In the Weston Public Schools, Joyce tutored English and math, and she served at all levels as Room Mother, Class Mother and, eventually, School Mother for the entire High School. In spite of all these commitments, Joyce always put family first and was welcoming to all. After her children had grown, she tutored reading at the local elementary school, was bookkeeper for one of Hid’s businesses (and acted as his sounding board for all of them), served as treasurer and planned reunions for Wheaton Class of ‘48 (seemingly forever), and made many other contributions her daughters cannot recall - or never knew about.

As a child, Joyce enjoyed many sports, often the only girl playing with the boys. She and Hid stayed active for years as avid tennis and paddle tennis players, water-skiers and bowlers. She also loved animals, especially dogs. She raised two litters of Golden Retrievers, each time keeping a male puppy to have a mother-son canine contingent in the family. In recent years, watching birds at the feeder outside her window brought her great joy, and she still had plans to get another retriever puppy, this time a black one.

Joyce greatly enjoyed hosting gatherings: holidays in Weston when her girls were young (always with both sets of grandparents present); extended family get-togethers with anyone with Tyler or Welch somewhere in their identity; getaways on the Cape with her daughters’ friends lovingly included, or Wheaton pals and their husbands. She welcomed friends and overnight guests with ease and grace and taught her children and grands the importance of family, instilling in them the values of love and acceptance and the joy of simply being together. For Joyce, more truly was merrier. In Brookline, in Weston, on the Cape, and even in Memory Care at Newburyport, she loved and was loved by so many others. Indeed she often said, with a twinkle, “People have more fun!”

Joyce’s loving, determined spirit is alive and vibrant in the hearts of all who knew her.

A memorial celebration of Joyce’s life is being planned for Saturday, December 30, 2023: 11:00 AM service, reception following with light refreshments at Hamilton Congregational Church, 630 Bay Road (Route 1A) Hamilton, MA 01936. Feel free to let us know if you are hoping to come by emailing us at mndretirement1956@gmail.com. Holly, Sherry and Wendy would love to see you!

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Joyce T. Welch to Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GuidingEyes.org) or Covenant House (CovenantHouse.org).

Arrangements by Driscoll Funeral Home, Haverhill. For guestbook visit www.driscollcares.com

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