Laconia--Joyce Eileen (Tucker) Whitcomb passed away in the arms of her daughters on November 25, 2016 at the age of 83, at the St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Home in Laconia.
Joyce was born on July 12, 1933 in Lancaster, New Hampshire. The daughter of Ada Savage-Tucker and Melvin Tucker. She spent her childhood and school years in Whitefield. She married and moved to Littleton followed by a later move to Laconia for professional advancement.
Joyce had a full personal and professional life. She married her high school sweetheart Roger Whitcomb in December of 1949 at her grandparents farm in Lunenburg,Vermont. She and Roger had four children, Diane, Susan, Linda and Wayne Later they divorced. Joyce also had 2 grand children, Jennifer Stanley-Cleveland, Steve Avery, and 2 great grand children, Ella Stanley-Cleveland and Penelope Avery.
As a young woman, Joyce was employed at the Littleton Hospital. After continuing her education and graduating from the Northern New England School for Laboratory Technicians under Dr.Christie, she was certified as a Laboratory Technician and obtained employment at the Laconia Hospital. She later attended Plymouth State College. In 1974 she was employed by the Laconia State School as a Scientist I, and was quickly promoted to a Scientist II as the supervisor. Upon closing of the state school, Joyce transferred to the NH Public Health Laboratory as a Supervisor of the Environmental Microbiology laboratory, retiring in 1995 as a Laboratory Scientist IV.
Joyce enjoyed gardening and birds, and was a member of the Audubon Society. She loved walking and hiking, the Red Hat Society, exercising at the Athletic club in Concord, working around her home, reading, doing cross word puzzles and enjoying her family. She especially enjoyed square dancing with the love of her life Rock Drouin. She enjoyed participating in the "Becoming an Outdoor Woman" program.
Joyce was politically involved at the local, state and national level. She served as Elected Counselor (25 years), Elected Delegate (25 years), and Treasurer for 1100 members of the NH State employees Association. She was a member of the American Society of Clinical Pathology, CLT-Health, Education and Welfare and ASCP-American Society of Clinical Pathologists. In addition, she personally met and had political discussions with President Obama, John and Elizabeth Edwards; and had Elizabeth Edwards' personal cell phone number and they talked about breast cancer. Joyce was politically involved at the local, state and national level and networked with governors, presidential candidates and others.
Joyce earned many professional awards for her dedication and profession contributions to her employers.
In addition to her other professional successes, Joyce taught at the New Hampshire Technical Institute as a Biology Lab Instructor. She taught at the Thompson School of Applied Science at the University of New Hampshire. She served as a volunteer on the NH Emergency Nuclear Response Team as a Decontamination Supervisor at Seabrook.
She is survived by her 3 daughters, a sister Evelyn Tucker-Silver, a niece Nancy Kramer, a nephew Neal Silver, great nieces and nephews, cousins and her lifelong companion Rock Drouin. In addition to her parents, Joyce was preceded in death by her son Wayne.
There will be no calling hours.
A memorial service for family and close friends will be held on Sunday December 4, 2016 at the Franklin United Methodist Church, 88 Franklin St. Franklin, NH at 11:30 AM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the NH Fish and Game Department for the "Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program", that she loved so much: New Hampshire Wildlife Federation, C/O BOW 54 Portsmouth St., Concord, NH 03301.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia NH is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.