Joyce Marie Edwards

Joyce Marie Edwards, 83, passed away Friday, April 27, 2012 in Largo, Florida due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Joyce was born July 8, 1928 in Kankakee to the late Lawrence Louis Landry and the late Gertrude Leona Sprimont. Joyce married Robert Dale DuMontelle in 1945. They had one child, Bonnie Lee, in 1946. Robert died in 1977 and Joyce later married Donald Teal Edwards, who passed away in 2004. Joyce’s friends and family would describe her as a hardworking and generous individual with a wonderful sense of humor. Over the course of her life she performed many kinds of work, including farming, factory work, and retail. As a farm wife, Joyce was a member and former president of the Irwin Unit of the Home Extension Association. She attributed much of her personal success to former Kankakee County Extension Adviser, the late Doris Hemstreet. Later, in Richland, Washington, Joyce worked as a control room operator at the Hanford nuclear reservation for many years. Upon her retirement, Joyce relocated to Clearwater, Florida in order to take advantage of the warm weather. Before she became ill, Joyce enjoyed taking road trips between Washington State, Illinois and Florida. Joyce had many hobbies, including quilting, cooking and baking (pies in particular), canning and preserving fruits, jams and jellies. Joyce loved gardening; the roses she cultivated at her home in Richland, Washington were admired by many of her neighbors, and her vegetable and flower garden expanded with each passing year. Joyce enjoyed reading about American history, especially biographies of the presidents. She was a strong supporter of the Largo Public Library. Most importantly, Joyce was an extremely devoted mother and grandmother, whose love, humor, wisdom and generosity will never be forgotten. Joyce is survived by her daughter Bonnie Lee Keene of Naperville, and granddaughters JeriJo Lehnus Keene (Galen Black) of Montgomery, and Jennifer Marie Keene (Alan Presley) of Seattle, Washington. She is also survived by four siblings: sister, Jacqueline “Jackie” Boicken (Gerald Boicken) of Grant Park, and brothers, Virgil Landry (Anita Landry) of Madison, Wisconsin, Vernon Landry of Gardner and Kenneth Landry (Debbie Landry) of Tuscon, Arizona. Joyce is preceded in death by her former spouses and her parents. Visitation will be May 19 from 10-11am, with a memorial service to follow, at the Clancy-Gernon-Hertz funeral home, 1480 W Court Street in Kankakee. Committal of the ashes will follow at the Limestone Cemetery in West Kankakee. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to one of the following organizations: Greater Largo Library Foundation 120 Central Park Drive Largo, FL 33770-3793 http://www.largo.com/department/board.php?fDD=11-47 Alzheimer's Disease Research Center VAPSHCS (S116-6E) 1660 S. Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 http://depts.washington.edu/adrcweb/donations.shtml

Joyce Marie Edwards

July 8, 1928 - April 27, 2012