Joyce Elaine McNally

Joyce’s family moved to Saginaw, Michigan during the depression. She attended Saginaw High School, where she met her beloved husband, Edward D. McNally. Because the Christmas season was Joyce’s favorite time of the year, the high school sweethearts married on December 2, 1949. They made their home in Grand Rapids.

When she enrolled at Grand Valley State College in 1972 as a “non-traditional” student, Joyce began a journey to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a teacher. She went on to graduate with a BBA (’77) and an MBA (’79) while working full time. She was a professor of business administration at Aquinas College from 1982-1999. During her time at Aquinas, in addition to teaching Joyce earned her doctorate in business administration (’87) at International Graduate School in St. Louis, Missouri, served as chair of the business and accounting department, and was dean of graduate studies. She was honored as a distinguished alumna by Grand Valley State University in 1999.

Joyce was puzzled in high school as to why she did not have parents or grandparents who had emigrated from the “old country” as was the case for so many of her classmates. She was delighted to solve that puzzle when she learned in the early 2000s that she was a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger, George Soule, and that all of her immigrant ancestors had arrived by the 1750s in what was to become the new country of the United States of America.

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Joyce is fondly remembered for a home filled with books, magazines, and music of all kinds. She was meticulous about planning family vacation trips, and was an early adopter of new technologies. Much to the delight of her grandchildren, she was a longtime devotee of Nintendo and Game Boy games.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Edward D. McNally and her oldest granddaughter. She is survived by two daughters Karen McNally of Tempe, AZ, and Donna Milham of Wyoming; one son, Robert (Carol Van Houten) of Grandville; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Cremation has taken place and a private family celebration of life service will happen at a time and date to be determined. In honor of Joyce and in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Frederik Meijer Gardens. The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresgrandville.com in their guest book online.