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FAU Holds Celebration of Life for Joan Joyce
6/11/2022 2:23:00 PM | Softball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University athletics hosted a celebration of life for the late Joan Joyce on Saturday.
Amongst family, friends, former players, current players, colleagues and more, FAU paid tribute to the legendary Coach Joyce. Joyce passed away at the age of 81 on March 26, 2022. She was an icon in the sporting world and one of the greatest athletes of all-time. Joyce was the FAU head softball coach for 28 years and was the only head coach in FAU history until her passing. Joyce is well-known for her seemingly endless list of incredible athletic accomplishments - including being a member of 20 Halls of Fame, winning over 1,000 games as a coach, throwing 150 no-hitters and 50 perfect games, winning championships and landing in the Guinness Book of World Records. But what was apparent on Saturday was the number of lives that she touched as a coach, mentor, family member and friend.
Speakers took turns sharing stories and reminiscing about Joyce in front of the crowd – and when one lives a life such as Joyce did, there certainly is an abundance of stories to share. The speakers included FAU President John Kelly, FAU Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White, Joyce's nieces Meghan Bolesta and Bridget White, FAU softball alumna of the inaugural 1995 team Marlo Tamayo, FAU Athletics Hall of Famer and alumna Chris Sutcliffe and current FAU assistant coach Troy Whitt.
Joyce leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered at FAU and in the sporting world forever. She is survived by her sister Janis Joyce, her brother Joseph Joyce, nieces Bridget Joyce Wright and her husband Russ, Meghan Bolesta and her husband Michael, as well as three grand-nieces, Morgan, Brooke, and Teagan, and two grand-nephews in Joseph and Patrick.
In honor of Coach Joyce, FAU has established the Joan Joyce Memorial Fund. All proceeds are donated to the FAU softball program. For the memorial fund homepage, click HERE.
ÂGallery: (6-11-2022) Joan Joyce Celebration of Life
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Amongst family, friends, former players, current players, colleagues and more, FAU paid tribute to the legendary Coach Joyce. Joyce passed away at the age of 81 on March 26, 2022. She was an icon in the sporting world and one of the greatest athletes of all-time. Joyce was the FAU head softball coach for 28 years and was the only head coach in FAU history until her passing. Joyce is well-known for her seemingly endless list of incredible athletic accomplishments - including being a member of 20 Halls of Fame, winning over 1,000 games as a coach, throwing 150 no-hitters and 50 perfect games, winning championships and landing in the Guinness Book of World Records. But what was apparent on Saturday was the number of lives that she touched as a coach, mentor, family member and friend.
Speakers took turns sharing stories and reminiscing about Joyce in front of the crowd – and when one lives a life such as Joyce did, there certainly is an abundance of stories to share. The speakers included FAU President John Kelly, FAU Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White, Joyce's nieces Meghan Bolesta and Bridget White, FAU softball alumna of the inaugural 1995 team Marlo Tamayo, FAU Athletics Hall of Famer and alumna Chris Sutcliffe and current FAU assistant coach Troy Whitt.
Joyce leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered at FAU and in the sporting world forever. She is survived by her sister Janis Joyce, her brother Joseph Joyce, nieces Bridget Joyce Wright and her husband Russ, Meghan Bolesta and her husband Michael, as well as three grand-nieces, Morgan, Brooke, and Teagan, and two grand-nephews in Joseph and Patrick.
In honor of Coach Joyce, FAU has established the Joan Joyce Memorial Fund. All proceeds are donated to the FAU softball program. For the memorial fund homepage, click HERE.
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