On Sunday April 25th 2021 we said a final goodbye to our beloved Greg Joyce at University Hospital of Northern BC with Fran, Trevor and Kristopher at his bedside after a long battle with peripheral artery disease and incredible complications following surgeries. He fought a losing battle but did not go quickly nor quietly, fighting to the end to survive and be with his loved ones. Words cannot express how much he will be missed. He was an amazing husband, son, brother, uncle, Dad, Poppy, friend, and mentor. He had a great sense of humour, a love of all sports, an addiction to the TV remote, the landline (hated the cell phone) and and he had a life-time passion for his Detroit Red Wings. Raised in a close knit family, he valued his family and friends and he would offer help to anyone who needed it, and give you the shirt off his back if you asked.. He always knew what was important in life, and that was his family and friends.
Greg and Fran moved from Corner Brook NL, travelling by train to Vancouver in 1969 and married in 1970 (he passed away with Fran at his bedside on their 51st wedding anniversary). They moved to Prince George BC in 1970 where he worked for Canfor PG Pulp and Paper and Intercon (PPWC Local 9) first, as a Steam Engineer, and hating shift work, trained as a Millwright. He retired in 2007 after 37 years of service with Canfor. He was known for his good humour, great work ethic, and as a great friend and co-worker. He was intelligent and had an incredibly quick wit. There probably isn’t a person who knew him that wasn’t on the receiving end of a joke or prank, all in good fun.
Greg was proud, determined, strong, and resilient and genuinely cared for others, especially the underdog. He was a stubborn, principled, strong-willed man, and epitomized the value of speaking up for yourself, your friends and family, and doing what was right. His daily phone calls to his son, Trevor, and his family and friends he called his "whine of the day". Greg was an excellent cook and host, and until he became ill, the kitchen was his domain. Fran and the children were assured there would be a delicious home-cooked meal on the table afer arriving home at the end of day and he made sure that it was done before every hockey game, but we were pretty much on our own if the Red Wings were playing!! His grandchildren loved Poppy's meals which he cooked for all special occasions, making extra for Trevor and Kirsten and the grandchildren on many occasions while they resided in Prince George. Poppy always had a candy stash for Allison, Ethan. Kyle and Nicholas and sneaked extras to them whenever he got the chance.
Greg leaves to mourn and miss him forever his wife, Fran, of 51 years, his children; son Trevor Joyce(Kirsten); daughter Tina Joyce (Doug) of Vancouver, BC, his cherished grandchildren; granddaughter Allison; grandsons Ethan, Kyle and Nicholas--all of Campbell River. BC and Kristopher Ryan Joyce of Prince George, BC--who was raised and cherished by Greg and Fran since infancy.Greg is survived by brothers and sisters in NL, Percy (Rose), Buck (Linda), Theresa, Von (Ray), Kevin, Norb (Judy), Eddie (Heather), his sister, Mal Rooksby,(Bob)(Toronto) and his sister, Marg Whelan, (Peter) (Quebec), his brothers-in-law, Baxter Howell, (Alice, deceased), Tom Companion (Marg), Leo Companion Jr., Paul Companion (Sharon), Bill Companion (Judy), Ted Companion (Debbie), his sisters-in-law, Marie Andrews, Dorothy Brake (Dave), Leona Wiseman (Gary), and Mary Payne (Randy). He was predeceased by his beloved twin daughter, Tara Lynne Joyce, (2017), his mother, Mary, and father, Percival, his brothers, Pat (Edna), Bern (Janet), Rodney and Nicholas. He will also be sorely missed by numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, extended family, and friends in Newfoundland, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec who remember him with great fondness and affection.
A private family viewing will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2021 at Assman's Funeral Home, Queensway Street, Prince George, BC and pursuant to the Covid 19 protocols enacted by the Province of British Columbia, the service has been severely restricted and therefore by invitation only to the immediate family. Cremation in care of Assman's, his ashes being interred in the graveside plot of his daughter, Tara Joyce.
We wish to thank all of the Community Care Nurses who treated Greg over the past year, the incredible staff of nurses at UHNBC who cared for him in Emergency, Primary Care Medical Unit, Internal Medicine Unit, Surgery North and the Intensive Care Unit, his surgeons and family doctors, and the dedication, empathy and the outstanding skills of Dr. Auton Rose, who gently guided Fran, Trevor and Kristopher throughout Greg's final days.
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