Joyce H. Boose "Joey"

Joyce passed away peacefully on December 30th, 2025 as the result of many chronic illnesses. Born and raised in Staten Island, NY, she was a longtime resident of both Trenton, NJ and Burlington City, NJ.

Joyce earned her undergraduate degree in K-12 education at the University of Tampa, FL and received her Masters in Special Education from the University of Connecticut. She began her career in education at the Willowbrook State School, Staten Island, NY. In this position, she learned American Sign Language (ASL) from a fellow teacher and began using it as a communication tool with the students. Throughout her life, Joyce cherished the language. She shared the love of sign language with her daughter Lauren at an early age who then found a profession and her passion in the field of Deaf education. Joyce would frequently use the “ILY” handshape sign with family and friends.

After Willowbrook, Joyce transitioned to public school teaching in Piscataway Public Schools. This led her to a position created at the NJ State Department of Education Office of Special Education creating the first Learning Resource Center (LRC) for the State in East Orange, NJ. Several other LRC locations throughout the State were established as a result of its success. Joyce noted that her greatest professional accomplishment was cultivating and overseeing the LRC’s for the NJ Department of Education. She enjoyed grant writing to fund special education projects, organizing the annual Very Special Arts Festival and the camaraderie she found at the NJDOE. She retired after 44 years of service after the birth of her granddaughter.

Joyce was a true lover of life, friendship and traveling abroad to achieve the “perfect tan”. A member of Alpha Chi Omega (ΑΧΩ) sorority, she found a sisterhood that spanned 59 years of friendship woven with memories of numerous travel destinations, riotous laughter and unbreakable bonds that has resulted in deep generational connection. Joyce was very proud of their participation in the pilgrimage walk, the “Camino de Santiago”, where the group walked 79 miles over 7 days from Barbadelo to Santiago, Spain in 2016.

A fierce lover of canine companions, Joyce raised several Weimaraners and Vizlas. In her retirement she adopted Greyhounds, “Weims” and mixed breeds. Her love of the Popcorn Park Animal Refuge, the Tri State Weimaraner Rescue and volunteering to assist animals was unwavering. In retirement, she enjoyed substitute teaching within the Burlington School District, spending time with family and friends, extensive traveling with her sorority sisters, attending the extracurricular activities of her beloved granddaughter Ella and enjoying her condo in Cape Coral, Florida.

Joyce was surrounded by a multitude of friends as she made them quickly and often. Friends were family. Her laughter, love of adventure and her advocacy for the justice and fairness of others as well as her fierce inner strength will never be forgotten.

Joyce was survived by her daughter, Lauren Boose, from her marriage to Dr. Robert E. Boose, and granddaughter Ella Dubin, whom she adored. Survived also by her brothers Dr. Edward J. Matthews, Jr. (Shelia Lotvin), Jeffrey J. (Donna) Matthews and Philip T. (Vicki) Matthews and her dearly loved nephews and nieces: Jeffrey, Darla, Joseph, Katharine and Jillian as well as her beloved canine best friend, Ciara. Predeceased by parents, Helen Grinkas and Dr. Edward J. Matthews, Sr (Dr. Dorothy Wludyka Matthews) and her brother, James V. Matthews.

A celebration of life will be held on January 30th, 2026 at Queen of the Universe, 2443 Trenton Rd, Levittown, PA 19056. Family and friends are invited to visit from 9:30am-10:20am. A Funeral Mass will immediately follow at 10:30am.

In lieu of flowers, donations are welcomed by the Katzenbach Parent Staff Educational Foundation Inc. ℅ Deborah Bilik 11 Gallop Way Chesterfield, NJ 08515. Donations directly benefit the educational needs of the students at the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf in Trenton, NJ.