Joyce’s Obituary
JOYCE MADELINE BRUCE – August 28, 1929 – March 11, 2021
With deep sorrow and much love, our family mourns the passing of Joyce Madeline (Hartley) Bruce, loving wife of 49 years to the late Seldon Bruce. Joyce passed away peacefully on March 11, 2021 surrounded by love.
Joyce was strong and kind, fierce and funny, generous and compassionate and a loving role model to all of us. She was an ultimate lady who had class and carried herself with style and grace. She was happiest when she was surrounded by her family and took great joy in every social occasion that came her way, especially those that were loud, funny, and involved good food and lots of laughter. She loved a good political debate and had strong opinions on the governing party of the day. Her claim to fame might be the conversation she had with a newly-elected Justin Trudeau during his visit to Shelburne where she grabbed the opportunity to tell him he needs to get down our way more often.
From a young age, Joyce had an adventurous spirit and loved to travel. She left Shelburne as a young girl in the mid-1940’s to live with her eldest sister Alberta (Hartley) Price in Montreal, Quebec where she fell in love with the beauty and culture of the city. She made many friends and memories there. She later moved to Sudbury, Ontario to be close to her brothers Lloyd Hartley and Raymond Hartley and their families. She lived there happily until making the decision to return to her hometown of Shelburne, NS in 1965. Though she loved her town and her community, she remained a city girl at heart and would jump at the opportunity to visit parts unknown whenever she got the chance. All she needed was time to pack a bag.
Thanks to her 27-year career as an X-ray clerk at Roseway Hospital, she knew almost everyone in the county and everyone knew and loved her. She had a way of making everyone feel special, and she touched the hearts of many with her acts of kindness and charity.
Joyce loved to volunteer and was one of the founding members of the Black Loyalist Heritage Society whose hard work and determination resulted in the establishment of the Black Loyalist Heritage Museum in Birchtown, NS. She was a long-time member of the Roseway Hospital Auxiliary, and devoted much of her life to the efforts of this group, helping to fundraise hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase new medical equipment and provide financial support to the hospital in implementing its programs and services. Joyce took great comfort in her love of God, and from her church – the Anglican Christ Church. Her membership in the Atlantic Church Women (ACW) brought her years of satisfaction in serving her Lord through the ministry.
Joyce was pre-deceased by her husband Seldon Boyd McNeil Bruce, her son Michael Terrance Bruce, her mother Ida Belle Hartley, her brother Wilfred (Jean) Hartley formerly of Sus, England, sister Alberta (Hartley) (Donald) Price of Montreal, PQ, her brother Lloyd (Eva) Hartley of Sudbury, Ontario, her brother Raymond (Agnes) Hartley of Sudbury, Ontario and her brother Max (Jackie) Hartley of Halifax, NS.
Joyce will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Kelley (John Nowlan) Bruce, her son Thomas Bruce, her grandson Dylan Rapp, her granddaughter Maya Nowlan, her stepdaughter Marilyn Atwood and her step grandson Jean-Francois (Monica White) Nowlan as well as her surviving siblings, brother Edward (June) Hartley, and sisters Lorraine (Edward Jacklyn, deceased) Hartley, and Julianne (Lawrence) Bruce, all of Shelburne, NS and brother Lawrence (Charlotte) Hartley of Weldon, NB. Joyce will also be dearly missed by her many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, Godchildren and friends. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. We will miss you dearly Joyce Bruce.
Cremation will take place under the care and direction of Huskilson’s Funeral Home Shelburne. A memorial service in celebration of Joyce’s life will be held in Shelburne at a later date for her family, friends and community.
Memorial donations may be made in Joyce’s name to your charity of choice. She has stated her preference for the IWK Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Wish Foundation, and operationsmile.ca – a charitable organization that provides safe corrective surgery to children born with cleft palates.
The family wishes to send a special thank you to the 4th floor staff at Arborstone Enhanced Care in Halifax, NS for their incredible kindness, compassion and loving spirit. You will never be forgotten.
On-line condolences may be left for the family at www.huskilson.net
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Joyce Madeline Bruce August 28 1929 March 11 2021..
H.M.Huskilson funeral homes and crematorium
Death notice for the town of: Shelburne, Province: Nova Scotia