Joyce Elaine Donatelli

Joyce Donatelli passed away on September 27, 2021 in Sarasota FL at the age of 78. She was born Joyce Elaine Bosman on January 23, 1943, in East Stroudsburg, PA. She always had a joy for living and her passion for making the most of every day led to an extraordinary life that touched many people.

Joyce graduated with a B.S. in Physical Education from East Stroudsburg University and an M.S. in Physical Education from The Pennsylvania State University. She spent most of her teaching career as a professor of exercise and sport science at Wilson College, then a women’s college, where she taught for 30 years. Her responsibilities included the teaching of basketball, swimming and synchronized swimming and she was charged with establishing activities and team sports such as canoeing, archery, bowling, fencing, gymnastics and others. Later in her career, she established the exercise and sports science major at Wilson College. While at Wilson, she served as faculty member, dean of students, adviser, athletic director, department chair, division head, coach, mentor and friend and encouraged many women to become the best versions of themselves. A gifted mentor to young women, she was selected as one of ten Outstanding Freshman Advocates in the nation by University of South Carolina’s University 101 program in 1991. As former Dean Mary Hendrickson wrote when she retired, “She says the greatest satisfaction from her job has come vicariously through students’ successes.” She went on to found the Wilson School of Gymnastics and Dance, which brought her immense joy and continues as a business today.

Joyce married Philip E. Donatelli in 1964 and they had two children, Philip and Lisa. Joyce loved her family – her sisters, her husband and her children, nieces, nephews and those family members by choice. Holidays were filled with family, food, singing and fa-la-las throughout the house. She savored life and challenged everyone with whom she interacted to “make memories each day” and to go on adventures. Try something or someplace new, she would say. She loved traveling and in addition to traveling domestically she traveled with family throughout Europe, the Caribbean and Australia.

Despite her initial concerns about retirement, the freedom from work suited her. She continued her competitive streak by joining multiple mah jongg groups, as well as taking up painting, birdwatching, volunteering at the Nature Center in Sarasota, She avidly attended programs in the arts and loved her community in Sarasota.

She was preceded in death by her husband Philip E. Donatelli and son, Philip M. Donatelli, her sister Linda Orbin, as well as her parents. She is survived by her daughter, Lisa Donatelli of Sarasota FL and her sister and brother-in-law Maryanne and Chester Heeter of Stroudsburg PA, as well as nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Audubon Society. There will be a virtual celebration of life on Saturday November 20, 2021 from 6-8pm where we will raise a glass to a beautiful life and woman. Participants may join at: https://arcadia.zoom.us/j/98966669930; by phone at: 877 853 5257 US Toll-free (Meeting ID: 989 6666 9930).

Those who wish to leave a memory for the family may do so at: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/sarasota-fl/joyce-donatelli-10376585