Joy, Col. (Ret.) USA William Francis
William Francis Joy of South Natick, formerly of Wellesley, died October 23, 2026. Born May 28, 1947, he was the oldest of nine children of the late William F. and Mary (O’Brien) Joy.
Raised in Melrose, Bill graduated from Boston College High School in 1965 and the College of the Holy Cross in 1969 with a degree in Latin and Ancient Greek. He played for the Holy Cross varsity hockey and rugby football First XV teams.
Bill volunteered for the Army in 1969 and was commissioned an Infantry Officer from the U.S. Army’s Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA. After completing parachute training at Fort Benning he graduated the Special Forces Officer Course at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, NC and the Special Forces Combat Diver School in Key West, FL. Lt. Joy then served as Executive Officer of an Underwater Operations A-Team in the 10th Special Forces Group and later volunteered for service in the Republic of South Vietnam as an infantry commander in the 3/187th Rakkasans battalion of the 101st Airborne Division.
After Vietnam, Bill left active duty to attend Boston College Law School where he graduated in 1975. He joined the 26th Infantry Division of the Massachusetts Army National Guard and served for more than 30 years including command of the 182nd Infantry, the U.S. Army’s senior regiment. He was retired from the United States Army with the rank of Colonel, Infantry.
Bill was a partner in the Boston law firm of Morgan, Brown & Joy where he practiced labor and employment law representing management for 42 years.
For many years at St. Paul Church in Wellesley, Bill was a lector, a Pre-Cana Conference leader, and a Eucharistic Minister. He coached Wellesley Youth Hockey, Soccer, and Softball. A longtime member of Wellesley Country Club, he was an avid golfer and served the Club in various capacities including on the Board of Governors.
Beloved husband of Mary Patricia (Ryan) Joy of 53 years, Bill leaves his five children Lt. Commander, USN, Eileen Joy of Virginia Beach, VA; Caroline (Joy) White and husband Michael of Wellesley; Jacqueline (Joy) Fitzpatrick and husband Shaun of Southborough; William F. Joy III of Newton; and Margaret M. R. Joy of Brooklyn, NY. He was the much loved grandfather of Colin and Rory Fitzpatrick and Keegan and Nolan White.
Bill is survived by his eight siblings and their spouses John Joy (Sara) of Pepperell; Robert Joy (Jean) of Winchester; Mary Joy Healey (Richard) of New Britain, CT; David Joy (Michelle) of Dennis; Anne Joy Borrelle (Robert) of Haddon Township, NJ; Thomas Joy (Karen) of Danvers; Ellen Joy Kapinos (Paul) of South Dennis; and Richard Joy (Janice) of Jupiter, FL; and by many nieces and nephews.
Bill will be remembered for his great sense of humor and as a loving and devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather, and uncle; and trusted lawyer, mentor, gentleman, friend, and gifted story teller. He was especially proud of his leadership and mentoring of junior officers and NCOs throughout his long military career.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 4 at 10am at St. Paul Church, 502 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA. Visiting hours will be held Tuesday, November 3 from 3-7pm at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA. Interment will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery, Wellesley.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory may be sent to the Home Base Program at homebase.org/ways to give or at MGB Development Office, Home Base Program, 399 Revolution Drive, Suite 1330, Somerville, MA 02145.