Dolores Lucas Boyce

Dolores was born March 4, 1938, in Jacksonville, Florida. She spent most of her childhood in Tavares, Florida, where she was surrounded by a loving extended family. After she graduated from Putnam High School in Palatka, Florida, Dolores received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida State University in 1960. She received her Master of Science Nursing Administration from the University of North Florida in 1989.

In 1960, Dolores married the love of her life, Merrill Gerald Boyce, Jr. Their house was filled with four very active children, laughter, and love. After the death of her beloved husband in 1973, Dolores poured herself into raising their children. They were her greatest joy.

She could be found at all their school and extracurricular activities -- Janet’s high school academic forums, Teresa’s high school drum major performances, Gerri’s Girl Scout adventures, and Wesley’s numerous sports games. She was always their most vocal cheerleader.

When she wasn’t chauffeuring her children to their activities, she was a devoted communicant of Episcopal Church of Our Saviour in Mandarin, where she could be found teaching Sunday school, volunteering for Vacation Bible School, serving as lay reader and chalice bearer and serving those in need.

Dolores had a servant’s heart and spent her career taking care of others. Her nursing career spanned more than 40 years ranging from the VA Hospital and community health, to nursing home healthcare. She especially treasured her time with Youth With a Mission and Mercy Ships where she served the Kurds in Erbil, Iraq, and those impacted by land mines in Nicaragua.

Following her retirement, Dolores served on The Young at Heart staff at Lakewood United Methodist Church.

Dolores is survived by her three daughters and sons-in-law: Janet and Douglas Wedding; Teresa and Bryan Cooksey; Gerri and Gary McKenzie; and her son and daughter-in-law, Wesley and Angie Boyce. She leaves 11 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She is also survived by her two stepdaughters and their husbands, Patricia and Douglas Eckel and Melanie and Howard Hinkley, her niece Meredith Anne Fauls Lyell and her husband David Lyell, and her nephew Ted Fauls and his wife Alison.

In addition to her husband, she is predeceased by her father, William Leroy Lucas, mother, Ruth Madine Mattox Newman, stepfather Wesley Carson Newman, grandparents Ozel and Johnnie Mae Mattox, and her precious great grandson, Adam Paulraj.

Services to celebrate Dolores’s life will be held on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at Lakewood United Methodist Church at 3 p.m. with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Helping India Together, 500 General Patterson Drive, Glenside, PA 19038 - in the memo section mention Dolores Boyce Memorial Fund or

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/helping-india-together/dolores-boyce-memorial-fund

Dolores’ prayers and own years spent overseas encouraged much of her granddaughter’s own walk of faith and her move overseas to do medical work as a nurse. Your donation will help send young women from vulnerable backgrounds to nursing school on scholarship and will advocate and provide for safety, education, and love of women and children in a rural mountain community in S. Asia.

Donations can also be made to Lakewood United Methodist Church.