Joyce BOALER

19 APR 1932 - 25 AUG 2020

• BIRTH: 19 APR 1932, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
• DEATH: 25 AUG 2020, South Bend, St Joseph, IN

INDEX

[N25275] Joyce Boaler
April 19, 1932 ~ August 25, 2020 (age 88)

Joyce Boaler, 88, passed away 12:40 am on August 25, 2020. Joyce was born on April 19, 1932 in Birmingham, England. She spent the first twenty-five years of her life in Stourbridge, Worchestershire with her parents, Harry and Dorothy, and brother, Malcom. She attended Stourbirdge Girls High School from the early age of nine (a precocious child) until going to the University of Leeds after two years of pre-college study. After graduation, she was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar and came to the United States for one year. It turned out to be a lifetime stay. Joyce was sent to Buchanan, Michigan. Vern and Phil Sexton “adopted” her into their hearts and home for one month. That turned into a lifetime stay too. They became her family and visited her real parents frequently. Harry insisted that she become an American citizen in 1973. Joyce taught in Buchanan and South Bend. She obtained her BA at St. Mary’s and MA at Michigan State University. She was offered a job in South Bend by Donald Dake, the superintendant. She taught elementary French and organized the program. Michael Dake was one of her students. He and his family visited the Boalers and they became firm friends. Joyce taught in twelve different schools. After retiring, she developed a new hobby, speaking at meetings and keeping an eye on fiscal expenditure and taxes. She was actually following in her grandfather’s footsteps. He had founded the Lye Conservatives in the earlier 1900’s. Joyce bought a home in Twyckenham Hills, where winter saw her shoveling snow from the rooftops. Spring saw her planting a wild flower garden, started with a gift of six Virginia bluebells donated by Congressman Hiler, her neighbor.Life was fantastic. She kept in touch with her original 1957 Buchanan first grade students until the end. A memorial service for Joyce will be held at Christ Chapel, 3402 S. Locust Road, South Bend, IN 46614 on September 3, 2020 at 10:30 AM. Friends may gather a half hour before the service. Memorial contributions in her name can also be made out to the Christ Chapel. She will be buried at Southlawn Cemetery with her dogs, Benjamin and Macy.I would like to give a big thanks to all the people who loved and cared for Joyce over the years, the staff at Signature Healthcare of Bremen, the staff at Memorial Hospital, friends, neighbors and especially the care from Mary Ann Montgomery, Pam Shankle, and Maxine Buggs. Online condolences mat be left for Joyce at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com