Joy went home to be with her Father in Heaven and to be with her loved ones on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. She passed peacefully, surrounded by family.
She was born July 29, 1944, daughter of the late Fae Weader Smyers and Lloyd Smyers of Mt. Union, Kistler PA. Joy was raised in Kistler PA and enjoyed the outdoors spending time in the mountains hunting and fishing. She also loved biking and skating and was an avid reader. As a teen, she was a member of the Allenport Civil Air Patrol. After graduation from Captain Jack High School in Mt. Union PA in 1962, Joy joined the Navy and trained as a Combat Medic and worked as a Hospital Corpsman at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. She graduated from nursing training in 1971 with the highest scholastic score in her class.
Joy was a compassionate person and thrived on caring for others. She had a giving soul and an especially caring nature. Her greatest passion and desire in life was to be a loving mother and grandmother to her children and grandchildren. She took much joy in being a loyal friend and dedicated nurse. Whether family, friends, patients, or complete strangers, she was always eager to lend an ear and helping hand.
Joy married William D. Brouse, of Mt. Union, PA in 1968. They moved to Chambersburg, PA in 1970. Bill passed away in 1991 while refereeing a football game in Southern Huntington PA. Joy is survived by her four children: William E. (wife Terry) of Myersville, MD; Timothy (wife Shelly) of Catonsville MD; Benjamin (wife Alyssa) of Catonsville, MD; and Maria Joy of Mercersburg, PA, seven grandchildren: Kayla, Ashley, Chelsea, Nicolas, Sofia, Carlos, and Anissa, three siblings: James Smyers (wife Pam); Robert Smyers (wife Angela) and Linda Smyers Kelley (husband Don), nieces Dawn and Cynthia, and nephews Jason, Michael, Jimmy (deceased), and Danny (deceased).
Joy and Bill served as house parents at Scotland School for Veteran Children. Joy also held several nursing positions during her career, taught dialysis, and until a few years ago, worked with the American Red Cross and Chambersburg School District.
Throughout her life, she served in various service roles: chairperson of fund raising for the Fresh Air Children's Fund, member of Noon Time Lions Club and Seratoma Club, member of Quad State Women Veterans, member of Friendship Fire Company as a Firefighter and EMT, member and former Captain of the Cumberland Chapter of Red Cross Disaster Relief Team (where she was presented with the Volunteer of the Year award and Appreciation Award), member of CERTS (Community Emergency Response Team), member of Serve PA, volunteer for Northwood Book Store and the Capital Theatre. Joy was a life member of VFW 1599 and a post member of American Legion Post 46.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, February 26th from 12-2PM at the Sterling-Ashton-Schwab-Witzke Funeral Home of Catonsville, Inc., 1630 Edmondson Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228. In lieu of flowers please consider donations to Women in Need (http://winservices.org/) or Disaster Relief Red Cross (https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief.html)
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sterlingashtonschwabwitzke.com for the Brouse family.
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