Joyce A. (Kennedy) Croke, of Randolph, formerly of Wellesley, passed away November 17, 2014, of a brief illness surrounded by her family. She was the beloved wife of Michael R. Croke for 43 years; loving mother of Jill Larsen and her husband Christopher of Wellesley and Janessa Huckaby and her husband John of Natick; sister of Jane (Kennedy) Ragab of Stoughton, Judy Kennedy of Milton, and the late John Kennedy of Stoughton, who is survived by his wife Peggy; loving grandmother of Madison Clark and Kaylin Huckaby of Natick, and twins, Andrew and Brady Larsen of Wellesley. She is also survived by many Kennedy and Croke family members, nieces, nephews, and her Godson, John. Born the daughter of the late John A. Kennedy and Gertrude (Smith) Kennedy, Joyce spent her youth in Milton and graduated from Milton High School, Class of 1966. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in French from Boston College in 1970, graduating Summa cum Laude. She taught elementary school at the Hansen School in Stoughton. Joyce had a love for reading and she was a talented artist. She enjoyed traveling and the ocean and spent many joyful summers in Newport and the N.H. seacoast. She was very creative and loved sewing and decorating even as a young girl. Joyce could always be counted on for her thoughtfulness as she could always be counted on to send a card or a care package to celebrate important times in her friends and families lives. Visiting hours at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St. (Rte. 16), Wellesley, Thursday, November 20, from 5-8 p.m. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Funeral Mass in St. Pauls Church, 502 Washington Street, Wellesley, Friday, November 21, at 11 a.m. Interment immediately following the funeral Mass in Woodlawn Cemetery, Wellesley.

Published in The Patriot Ledger on Nov. 19, 2014