Mary Joyce Ierace, 84

In loving memory of Joyce Ierace, who passed away on April 13, 2021.  Joyce Fosnaught Ierace was born on May 12, 1936, in Ellwood City, PA.  She married Eugene Ierace in 1956.  They had four children: Kathy, Tom, Betty Jo, and Dan.  They moved to Weirton, WV, in 1967 and lived there for many years. They moved to Laurinburg, NC, in 1979 and eventually moved back to Ellwood.  In 2015, Joyce and Gene moved to Whispering Oaks Independent Living in Hermitage, PA.  They were lovingly cared for by the staff there, including Quaryah Garner.

Over the years Joyce worked as a secretary at Stark Van Lines in Paris, PA, and St. Andrews College in Laurinburg, NC, and a customer service representative for Bell Telephone in Pittsburgh, PA.  Joyce loved her family, including her parents, brothers and sisters, husband, children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and nephews.  She and Gene were great parents to their four children and were always very proud of their family. Joyce was loved by her family and friends and spent a lot of time doing work for her church and community.  She was always willing to help anyone who needed her.  She was a devout member of Holy Redeemer Parish.  Joyce also enjoyed the senior center in Ellwood.  She was a great homemaker and always made people feel welcome and comfortable.  She created wonderful holiday dinners.  Her hobbies including reading, playing cards, visiting her family, and watching sports.  She loved to socialize with her family and friends at gatherings including weddings, picnics, and reunions.  She also was passionate about world events.  Joyce was very intelligent and hard working.  She loved to talk and had a great sense of humor.

Joyce was predeceased by her parents, Clarence and Lillian Fosnaught, her brothers, Joe and Bob, her sister Sara, and her husband Gene in 2018.  Joyce is mourned by her daughters, Kathy and Betty Jo (Scott) Rockwell, sons, Tom (Anne) and Dan (Lori), and granddaughters, Gena (Ben) and Erin. She will also by dearly missed by her sister Alice (Rich) and brothers, Ed (Pam) and John (Ellen), and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.  A Mass of Christian Burial and a celebration of life will be held for Joyce this summer in Ellwood City.  Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the Joseph A. Tomon, Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, 97 Grim Avenue, Ellport.