Obituary of Joyce Pauline Little

Joyce Pauline Little (Slaunwhite), Terence Bay With great sadness, we said goodbye to our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend, Joyce Pauline Little, 87, on October 27, 2023. Joyce was a strong woman determined to pass peacefully, and did so with grace, dignity, and with her loving family by her side. Born in Halifax in 1936, to the late Solomon and Ellen Mae Slaunwhite, Joyce spent her early years growing up on Brunswick Street in Halifax, while vacationing in the summers in Terence Bay. She had an incredible memory and a curious mind, always excelling in school, with a keenness for spelling. However, as many did in those days, she left school early to find employment in the shipping department at Henry Birks and Sons. During her summers in Terence Bay, she met and fell in love with John, whom she married in 1954. They lived happily in Terence Bay, where they raised their four children: Lee, Gail, Cathy and Cheryl. In school, Joyce was a member of the track and field team, a gymnastic tumbler and a basketball player. She was a very successful point guard; earning a lot of penalty points in her favor, due to being over-guarded for her short stature! She also played recreational horseshoes, throwing ringers often! Plus she had a love of dancing that continued throughout the years. Times weren’t always easy, but Joyce worked hard, along with John, to give their children a loving and warm home. Together they grew up as a very close-knit family who, above all else, loved each other. She took great pride in her meticulously organized and clean home (even washing the walls annually)! Over the years, she helped care for immediate and extended family members, always there to provide comfort and support. Joyce loved to attend her weekly bingos and card socials with many close friends, attending even up to as recently as a few weeks ago. She also enjoyed her frequent telephone chats with good friends, when in-person visits weren’t possible. She was an avid baker who made intricate cakes for special occasions and the most delicious fudge that the neighbors (and family) eagerly anticipated! She often demonstrated her sewing skills, even making her daughters’ majorette costumes. Joyce read with vigor and would empty library shelves with her passion for reading. When she wasn’t reading, you could find her watching soap operas, Christmas movies and cheering on her favorite curling and baseball teams. There wasn’t a week that went by that she missed completing the lexicon in the newspaper. She loved her annual trips to Fredericton, where she visited her daughter, Gail, and was pampered for the week! Being part of a large family, Joyce cherished any opportunity to gather with her siblings. However, she had a special relationship with her sisters and greatly enjoyed getting together with them throughout the years. A woman of faith, she regularly attended mass at Star of the Sea Church, sang in the church choir, served on numerous committees and was actively involved in school fundraising groups. Joyce had a teaching spirit and was also a life-long learner. She knew the value of education and ensured all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren appreciated the value of education as well. She taught and nurtured every small child from infancy. Always up for a challenge, she took it upon herself to learn how to use a digital camera and iPad, staying connected with her family in group chats and through FaceTime! Joyce was the backbone of her family, and a practical, strong, steady, devout presence for everyone. A true matriarch and a consistent voice of reason. She had a fighting spirit and was a true force of nature. She was very accepting, kind and showed unconditional love to all family members. She generously shared her time and had wonderful words of wisdom to bestow. Joyce especially treasured her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (even the furry ones)! The highlight of each year was when her entire family would congregate at their home on Boxing Day to celebrate Christmas together. Her loss will be felt throughout Terence Bay. She had many close, cherished friends in the small community. Especially best friends, Bernard and Eileen Drew, whom she and her husband enjoyed weekly card games with. Joyce’s presence in our lives will be deeply missed. We find comfort in knowing our incredible memories, with this truly amazing woman, will live on in our hearts forever. Heaven gained the most treasured angel, and it surely won’t be long before she’s dancing once again with the love of her life, John, to their special song, Look At Us by Vince Gill. She is survived by her children, Lee (Heather Christianson) Little, Gail (Barry) Hoyt, Cathy (Philip) Major and Cheryl (Ken McCarthy) Little; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; her sisters, Shirley and Jeanette; brothers, Kenneth, Vernon, Sherman and Michael; as well as many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, (Solomon and Ellen Mae); husband, (John); sisters, (Jean, Lillian, Brenda); brothers, (Harvey, Robert, Carl); and great-grandson,(Elijah). The funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 25 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church, 3709 Prospect Road, in Shad Bay with a reception to follow in the church hall. Cremation has been entrusted to T. J. Tracey Cremation & Burial Specialists.