John Joseph Garry Joyce

Joyce, Garry passed away so very peacefully with family at his side in North Vancouver on March 26, 2019 at the age of 82 years. He was predeceased by his loving wife Elizabeth “Liz” in 1993, four older sisters, a brother and an infant sister. His sons and daughters-in-law Jeff and Lorie, and Peter and Jill, grandchildren Matthew, Nick, Julie, Mike and Katie, and his second wife Merydie Joyce, survive him.

Garry was a remarkable storyteller, each one delivered to make us laugh as much as he was in telling them. And did he ever have stories. A lifetime full of adventures and relationships beginning as a young boy growing up in Calgary as the City grew up around him. The story goes that the Garry Theatre in the Inglewood neighbourhood, newly opened as a motion picture cinema in 1936, was named after him by the building owners who were friends and in business with Garry’s father, Barney. This all makes sense - Garry always liked being in the spotlight! Garry was a stand-out football player at Saint Mary’s High School – a powerful running back from whom came lifelong advice for us to just keep our legs driving forward whenever life’s tough situations crowd in.

For a brief but critical time in hospital as a young man, Garry had a destiny meeting with a young nurse named Elizabeth Sikora from the Crowsnest Pass area of southwestern Alberta. Garry and Liz were married in 1958 and raised a family centered on love, respect, caring, patience and plenty of laughs. Garry took on and continued the success of his father Barney’s insurance business, building many more long lasting friendships and more stories, of course.

Garry loved the outdoors and most weekends would find the Joyces out with family members and friends into the mountains around Banff and Lake Louise - hiking, climbing and skiing. These times with him are richly remembered by all lucky enough to join in, even those falling victim to his many playful pranks out in the woods. Garry was also a member of the Alpine Club of Canada; this placed him atop a number of mountains wearing a smile as wide and deep as the sky above and valleys below. Before the evening drive back to Calgary, a dinner at the long since gone Rundle Chinese Restaurant on Banff Avenue (the “Big Sneeze” as it was known in our family) was a perfect way to end the day.

In the mid 1990’s Garry ventured out to Vancouver to be close to his family and growing herd of grandchildren. His time with the five of them through the years that followed was his greatest gift. His young grandchildren would excitedly follow him out the door for adventures that he was fond of calling “a walk on the wild side”. During Garry’s last hours of life, each grandchild reminded him of these adventures with Grandpa. A new generation of storytellers has been well supplied with tales to pass on for years to come.

When not consumed with family, Garry was a volunteer gardener at the UBC Botanical Garden, and with this took on the responsibility of the sourcing and delivery of the many varieties of apples from farmers across the province that ended up at the annual UBC Apple Festival. He loved meeting with the farmers and their families. He was truly a people person.

While out on a walk one day on Bowen Island in 2000, he bumped into a beautiful lady named Merydie. They became fast friends and soon husband and wife, living together on Bowen for a time and then over on Vancouver Island.

In recent years, Garry’s health declined and it became necessary for him to live in care back in North Vancouver. While unable at times to clearly communicate (so unfortunate for a master storyteller), he nonetheless bonded closely with the wonderful staff at the care facilities he lived in. Communication was largely through the expression in his brilliant blue eyes and a firm squeezing of hands.

Garry led a life well lived. He will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved him; happily a bit of him lives on in each of us.

A memorial service for close family and friends will be planned at a later date.