May 8, 1942 – November 5, 2022
at the age of 80 years:
Kaye (Carolyn) Anne Joyce (Kelly) was born in Kingsclear, New Brunswick on May 8, 1942. She passed unexpectedly Saturday, November 5, 2022 in Salmon Arm, BC. She was the 10th of 11 brothers and sisters. She went to elementary school locally and took the school bus to Fredericton for junior and high school.
Kaye was brought up on the family farm doing her share of chores such as milking cows, looking after chickens, pigs and all the other daily chores. As she got older, she would go hunting at night (jacking) with her brother Bob hoping to get a deer to put on the menu. She and her sister Sharon would also spend time on the farm horses running in the fields around the farm. As Kaye had older sisters, she spent time baby sitting and looking after lots of nieces and nephews on many occasions. Both she and her sister Sharon spent many summers in Hillsborough with her sister Neen and Charley.
Kaye went to work in Fredericton in the K-Division RCMP offices as a secretary and then as a legal secretary. This is where she met her man Mike who at that time was going to Maritime Forest Ranger School. Mike would hitchhike out to the farm on weekends and the romance continued. In 1962 Mike went to Labrador for employment. He came back to Fredericton and they were married on September 9, 1963. After a very short honeymoon…the trip back to Labrador, they settled in Schefferville. Kaye had a job working for the company in Ore Testing. During this time Kelly and Michael were born.
In 1972 they moved to another mining company in Leaf Rapids, Manitoba. That was good for a year and then the adventures began. In the fall of 1972 a long trip with 2 kids to Western Australia and a small mining town called Pannawonica. We were on the company plane getting ready to land at Pannawonica we looked at each other, not a word was said but the question in both our minds was what have we got ourselves into. Ultimately, it was great experience. We made some good friends and our youngest son Jamie was born in 1976. We left Australia in September 1977 heading to Ontario with a pile of luggage and 3 kids. We had a short visit with my sister and her family and then headed west. We stayed for a few months in Vancouver and then moved north to Prince Rupert. Kaye had a job as a legal secretary, I was working for the Fisherman’s Coop. This lasted 2 years and then we got transferred back to Vancouver, living in Maple Ridge. Two years later we moved to Grande Cache, another mining town where we stayed 8 years. Kaye worked at BCFP in payroll. Kaye was instrumental in establishing the Grande Cache Transition House, a short-term shelter for women. We did lots of camping, the kids were growing up and in 1988 it was time to move again, this time to Spruce Grove. We lived in Spruce Grove and Kaye opened a leather goods business in downtown Edmonton and with the help of Kelly she ran this business successfully for 19 years. She was also involved in the Royal Glenora Rotary Club.
She also became very involved in Breakfast for Learning program which supported breakfast for students across the country. She was instrumental in the start-up of the Alberta branch and was chairperson for a number of years. She was on the national board and made numerous trips across the country and all over Alberta in support of this program. In about 2008, Kaye closed her business, I retired and it was now time to travel. We visited Ireland, Italy, Spain, Japan, Costa Rica seeing more of the world than Kaye could have imagined and then became snowbirds going south to Arizona for the winter. We sold the house in Spruce Grove and bought a truck and trailer which she had always wanted to do. **This is how I remember it…the children remember it as Kaye finally capitulating to my life long dream***… She enjoyed pulling the trailer, stopping at different places then setting up for the next 5 months. She liked the solid dirt under her feet. She really enjoyed our trip pulling the trailer across the USA. She loved the music in New Orleans, stopping in New Brunswick to visit family, then across Canada and back home to Alberta. She was not nearly as fond of the civil war museums as I was but indulged me.
Setting up at the lake in Salmon Arm was a bonus as she enjoyed her gardening, painting and just relaxing with a wine at the fire. The lake became a gathering place for the family in the summers, with much laughter. Kaye liked having the activity around her which she could participate in, or just listen to.
Kaye’s love language has always revolved around food and entertaining. As an amazing cook and baker, family gatherings involved copious amounts of food and the family joke of having to stop at McDonalds on the way home as we were going to starve. Menu preparation began weeks before each gathering and there was always more than enough food. You never went hungry at Kaye’s and that tradition is being carried on by her children and grandchildren who are good cooks and bakers in their own right.
Kaye (Carolyn) Anne Joyce is survived by the love her life Mike, her children Kelly(Jon), Mike(Trina) and Jamie(Peggy); 8 grandchildren Kayla (Mike), Zachary (Ashley), Lainey, Noah, Taegan (Liam), Merryk, Addyson, and Sayleigh; and 4 great grandchildren Harlow and Jack, Vanessa and Paxton. Kaye is also survived by her sisters Helen and Sharon and numerous nieces and nephews who lovingly remember her as the beautiful, kind, hilarious and fun woman she was. She was our most beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, confidant and most of all she was our champion. Kaye was the heart of our family. She had the ability to love unconditionally, make you feel that love, and fear the temper. She nurtured us body, mind and soul. All the markings of a true matriarch. We know she will be missed and celebrated by the many friends she has made. Nothing we can ever say will truly express the depth of feeling surrounding Kaye (Mom) and what she has meant to us. We just hope she knew.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In Kaye’s honour a donation can be made to Grande Cache Transition House by searching for this particular shelter at the following link https://acws.ca/donate/
Our deepest condolences to Mike & family, so very sorry for your loss. A beautiful person taken way to soon, I will miss your warm hugs, infectious smile and wise words. I am honoured to have known you, you will be so dearly missed in our little community,.
We have lost a beautiful friend too soon; we will miss her always. Our condolences to Mike and the family.
Mike and family, she was a very special lady, always smiling and never too busy to stop and visit. She will be missed by everyone that knew her.
Our deepest condolences to Mike and family. Kaye has been a Glen Echo staple for many years and will be missed greatly. My most treasured memory will be of Kaye arriving at my place with her beautiful smile and a plate of warm homemade bins for me which I would promptly eat before Doug got to them.
So sorry to hear of Kaye’s passing she was a lovely lady always smiling. She will be missed by all.
Condolences to Mike and family.
To Mike and Family,
When I think of Kaye, I see her lovely smile and hear her wonderful laughter. She was such a kind, warm, generous and wise woman and her hugs were the best! I truly enjoyed the time spent at GE with her and Mike with family and friends gathered around.
Rob and I send our condolences to Mike, all the family and their friends.
So very sorry for your loss Mike, please know that all your fellow Pickleball friends are thinking of you and your family. I enjoyed reading your beautiful tribute and wish you and your family all the best as you navigate your way forward. Your friend, Sue Marshall
Oh Mike ( and family),
It sounds like she lived, laughed, loved ( and was loved) to the very fullest. Our heartfelt condolences go out to you all.
Mike and family,
I am so so sad and heart broken for you and for us all who had the privilege of knowing Kaye, she was everyone’s Mom.
Her baking, her generosity her art.
She was always available, even at a moments notice to steal a pillow to use for a missing camp pillow.
Your family welcomed us all at Glen Echo, it was a family loved by everyone.
Kaye will remain a beautiful soul in this universe.
Love to you all.
We will miss our neighbour at the lake. Her bright welcoming smile and beautiful flowers. She was a lovely person and will be truly missed. Thoughts and prayers to Mike and the family. Sarah and Helen
I miss you so much Grammie. I will always have the fondest memories of you and you will always be with me. I will continue to make you proud and I can’t wait to see you again someday. I love you the mostest❤️
our Deepest condolences Mike and family. We were so blessed to have enjoyed her company and laughter. We will miss her beautiful smile .
My deepest sympathies to The whole family. Kaye was such a happy giving vibrant woman. She will be missed so much.
My heart and soul are feeling crushed for you all. Mike, Jon, Kelly and family…Your mom was a joy , a good soul and will be missed…Many prayers to you and know that I am thinking of you for this terrible loss. She was such a shinning light around Heisler and will be missed.
Love and prayers
Debbie Steil
We have so many wonderful memories of our times together with our beautiful sister-in-law and Auntie from the first time I met Kaye at my mothers and fathers house in Fredericton and so many times in between. We always told Mike he was a spoiled brat because Kaye did all the cooking ( fabulous cook) and she was a Jack of all trades. The only women I know who got a power tool for Xmas . Kaye you will be so , so missed but never forgotten-Love Ya , ❤️ Steph , Eric and family
My deepest condolences to Mike and the whole family.
Our most heartfelt condolences to Mike and family. Kaye was a beautiful and cherished friend we are so lucky and grateful to have had. There is no one out there who can make you feel as special and loved as Kaye did. She will be sorely, sorely missed.
We are so sorry to hear of Kaye’s passing. She was truly a light and will be dearly missed.
All of Our happy hours and happy times we spent together will never be the same out at the lake. I love and respected your wise words and will treasure our beautiful friendship forever…I will deeply miss you. This picture is exactly how I will remember you.
Rest easy my friend
My deepest sympathy to Mike and family. Kaye was a very special lady and will be greatly missed by many.
Our deepest sympathies to Mike and family. Kaye’s friendship was very special to us. We feel very fortunate to have been included in her circle of friends. Our Glen Echo happy hours will never be the same. Missing your smiling face. ❤️
Our deepest sympathy to you both Kelly & Jon!
What a beautiful memory of your Mom, her Memory lives on in you Kelly, you are a beautiful friend… I’m sure you made your Mom so proud!