Joyce Elizabeth Leverett

It is with intense sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Joyce, after a 4-year battle with dementia. She passed peacefully at her home, free now from the suffering. It is impossible to condense her life into a few paragraphs as it was extraordinary in every way. She was a force of nature who broke every societal norm in fierce, unapologetic fashion. She was born in Cleveland, OH in 1935, the granddaughter of Irish immigrants. She carried that stubborn, Irish pride in her heart until the very end. She grew up poor, in a Catholic household. She rebelled against the constrictions this created and vowed to get out of that life and do it her way. Upon graduating from a public high school (after choosing to leave the Catholic school), she immediately started working. This was in the 1950’s, when women were expected to marry and have children at this point in life. She also sewed her own clothes until she could afford to buy them with her own money. There were a couple of marriage proposals during this time that didn’t work out but made for great stories. Then one day, at the age of 29, a friend invited her to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. “Sure, why not”, she said. That friend set her up on a blind date when she arrived and the rest is history. It was love at first sight when, at dinner, the man, who was also from Cleveland, identified the music playing in the restaurant. “It’s Mozart”, he said. That was it for her.

In true Joyce fashion, she fell madly in love with this man, named Dennis. He was a dentist, but he was also divorced with five children. Again, in the 1960’s, this was forbidden territory. But she was in love with him and accepted him for who he was. Her heart was full and nothing could stop her. They spent as much time together as they could in New Orleans, then she went back to Cleveland. She was pregnant, ‘out of wedlock’. Shunned by the Catholic church and most of her family for this, she shunned them right back. She gave birth to her beautiful baby boy Timothy, alone at the hospital, in 1966. Joyce and Dennis married in 1968. She took on her new role of wife and mother with typical Joyce flair, even though it seemed impossible and scary. They moved several times for Dennis’ career (Las Vegas, NM; Boston, MA; Portland, ME) and they ended up in Rochester, NY for Dennis’ new position at the Eastman Dental Center. They arrived in Rochester with another addition, her daughter Amanda, born while in Portland, ME. Joyce tried the traditional homemaker role during this time, but as the true feminist she was, always wanted more for herself. So, at the age of 40 she decided to go back to school. She received her Bachelor’s in Anthropology but that wasn’t enough for this powerful woman. She applied to law school and was accepted into Syracuse Law School in 1978 at the age of 42. She commuted every week back and forth from Rochester to Syracuse to get that degree. She did this in the 70’s, with her husband and several children still at home. Again, unbelievably overcoming the impossible and terrifying experience, she graduated with a Juris Doctorate in May 1981 at the age of 45! After working in the law field for a few years, unable to pass the BAR, she went back to school to get her realtor’s license. She was a realtor for many years before retiring. It wasn’t until later in her life, when one of her grandsons was diagnosed with dyslexia, did she realize why she had always struggled in school, especially taking tests like the BAR. She was dyslexic before they knew what it was, yet she also learned to live with it and was an avid reader her whole life. During their 21 years in Rochester, Joyce and Dennis also squeezed in traveling all over the world, enjoying the arts and scenery wherever they went.

In 1989, Dennis was diagnosed with cancer. They vowed to retire and move back to their most-loved state of New Mexico. They moved from their home in Rochester, NY to Las Cruces, NM in 1994. They built their dream home which she designed. It was their sanctuary, high up in the Organ Mountains with views that would make you cry. Joyce was Dennis’ caretaker for 7 years before he passed. Dennis passed in this sanctuary in 1996, making her a widow at the age of 60. They had been married for 28 years. This loss definitely slowed her down for a bit. Did she stop? No. Joyce was a life-long lover and patron of the arts in all its forms-music, theater, literature, fashion, nature, etc. She decided she wanted to open her own art gallery in Las Cruces, NM. And she did. And she decided to go on safari in Africa. And she did. She went to the symphony, the opera, to art galleries near and far, to jewelry and clothing stores, to Rochester and El Paso to babysit her precious grandsons. She did it all, lived it all.

She moved to El Paso, TX in her final decade of life to be closer to her daughter and grandson. It broke her heart to leave New Mexico but the mountains were too secluded and dangerous for her then. At the age of 80, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Did this bring her down? Nope. She kicked that to the curb. It was at the age of 84 that she was diagnosed with dementia. She fought it and fought it, even until the final week of her life. But that’s who she was. Unbelievably strong, stubborn, beautiful, unapologetically opinionated, complex, shocking, spectacular, phenomenal, generous, loving, hysterically funny, confounding, fabulous Joyce. Everyone she loved knew it. She could tell a story that was Pulitzer-worthy every time. She was a million other things and a million more.

Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother, niece, cousin and sisters-in-law. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, sister, brother, brother-in-law, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, grand-nieces & nephews, friends and her favorite grand-dog Farley.

She laughed until she cried. But more importantly, she cried until she laughed. It was laughter that got her through, and it will be laughter that gets us through. Don’t forget to live it like Joyce lived it. When you feel the need to cry happy tears or sad, do so. When you see injustice, shout injustice. And always remember the value of a well-placed F-bomb.

Now be on your way mom, tout de suite, to New Orleans. Mardi Gras is happening soon and Dad is waiting for you at Napoleon House.

There won’t be any formal services but please consider donating your time or money to a charity of your choice that supports the arts or children in need. Joyce would love that.