February 22, 2017 9:00 am Remembering Joyce Grund
Written by Marianne Riess
Joyce was a social giant. Her easy smile projected warmth and good humor. She loved friends, fun, a good party and was obviously a veteran of many of them. She played many roles in her life: secretary, adventurer, wife, friend, mother, teacher, grandmother. We knew her best as a nursery school teacher. Joyce understood that young children learn through fun, play and games, and when she hooked up with Anne Martine Cook in the Connecting Class at Putnam Indian Field School, a heavenly match was made and 20 years of children were in for the time of their lives. So were their parents, who learned the games and fun ways of teaching children how to behave and be responsible citizens.
Joyce was so quick on the pick up. Anne would start a game, Joyce would sense the vibe and respond with a flawless accent, a pratfall, an perfect quip, an ongoing skit. She and Anne were “in sync” all the time. Their skits, done before their class, were hilarious, and more importantly, educational. They helped the children, but also taught parents how to deal with any problems they were facing with their children at home. Anne and Joyce enjoyed and supported each other for twenty years and PIFS was the beneficiary of their collaboration and insight.
Joyce retired from PIFS at age 73. Ten years later, we remember her good humor, and her spot-on descriptions of people and situations. We see that sunny smile, as she introduced herself each year at Parents Night: “I’m a California girl.” We could tell. At her memorial service, her daughters and grandchildren shared their memories of life with Joyce, and we felt as if we were with her, all over again. Joyce would have loved the party and basked in all the compliments that came her way. She deserved each one.
