Joyce Desousa

Joyce Adele Vernon was born November 26, 1929 at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, NY. After High School she became involved in community theatre, where she met the love her life, Dudley De Sousa. They were married in 1952 and moved to Valley Cottage in 1958 where they raised their children, David and Elaine. They were very happily married for 39 years before Dudley’s passing in 1991.

Joyce also earned a BA at St. Thomas Aquinas College and a MS at Montclair College in Education and went on to become a 3rd grade Teacher in the North Rockland school district for many years.

Joyce was a very energetic and positive person who was involved in helping others through her volunteer work with the Arts Alliance in Haverstraw, the Center for Arts in West Nyack, RSVP, Northern Services, and the Historical Society of Rockland County. She had a quick wit and a kind heart whose first thought was always for other people. She also enjoyed performing and entertaining and inspiring people throughout her life, in her work as a teacher, in community theatre and in conjunction with events by the Rockland Historical Society. She tended to be the life of the party often.

Joyce was much loved and inspired by her family and friends and is survived by her son, David De Sousa (and his wife Donna), daughter Elaine Baranowske (and her husband Buck), her sister, Victoria Vernon, her four grandchildren, Daniel De Sousa, Gina (Baranowske) Holt (and her husband Jason), Tara (Baranowske) Testa, Diana De Sousa, and her three great grandchildren Madeline Testa, Jace Holt and Jackson Holt. She was preceded in death by her husband of 39 years , Dudley De Sousa and her brother, Russell Vernon.

Joyce’s wonderful creative energy and spirit and concern for others will live in our hearts forever.

A visitation for Joyce will be held Wednesday, January 29, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Michael J. Higgins Funeral Service Inc., 321 South Main Street, New City, NY 10956. A graveside will occur Thursday, January 30, 2025 from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM at Oak Hill Cemetery, 140 N Highland Ave, Nyack, NY 10960.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/ or United Hospice https://unitedhospiceinc.org/giving/united-hospice-general-donations/