Obituary: Joyce M. Pye

Joyce M. Pye

Joyce M. Pye 1936 – 2021 BATH – Joyce M. Pye, 85, of Bath passed away surrounded by family at 1 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021 at The Highlands in Topsham. She was born May 26, 1936 in West Bath, the only child of adoring parents, the late Alton and Rena Mitchell. A graduate of Morse High School, Joyce married David C. Pye in 1955 and raised a family of three, prior to fulfilling her longing for travel and higher education. When her children became of school age, she began tutoring elementary students in reading and counseling adults in career education, reflecting her lifelong passion for literacy and education. Joyce earned her B.A. in Psychology with honors and her master’s in Social Work from USM, while simultaneously nurturing her desire to write. After a semester abroad in Ireland, where she fell in love with the culture, she returned to that country and traveled it alone in a VW bug, interviewing instrument makers. Her first book, “Ireland’s Musical Instrument Makers: Who they are & where to find them”, was published in 1990 by Salmon Publishing of Galway. While Ireland was dearest to her heart, Joyce developed a wanderlust that would see her visit 17 other countries on adventures she shared with family and local or international friends, including writers, artists, and musicians she met along the way. She cherished her friends and always welcomed a gathering of many or few, convivial or quiet. Eventually Joyce refined her interest in writing to focus on poetry. She became a dedicated member of Maine Media Women and won numerous poetry awards. Among her published works, her poem, “Wicker Rockers, Northern Maine,” appeared in “A Sense of Place: Collected Maine Poems”, and in 2006 she self-published her collection titled, “IF HE COULD SEE ME NOW”. Joyce was a patron of the Bath Patten Free Library, where she served on the Board for several years. She also served on the Board of Friends of Sequin, a mark of her affection for the Maine coast and its lighthouses. She enjoyed a walk on the beach in any weather and, of course, a good lobsta. Joyce was predeceased by her loving husband, David C. Pye; and son, Jeffrey D. Pye. She is survived by two daughters, Debra Davenport and her husband, Jeffrey Vedder, of Nevada, and Jennifer L. Wells and her husband, Kenneth Wells, of Whitefield. Additionally, she is survived by two grandchildren, Nicholas Wells and his wife, Jacqueline Wells, of Poland, and Katelyn Wells, also of Poland. A celebration of life is planned for later. To honor the memory of Joyce, contributions may be made to the Bath Patten Free Library https://www.patten.lib.me.us/support/ or Friends of Sequin https://www.seguinisland.org/support/donate/