Joyce Pamela Alexander-Meyers, Auntie Joyce, was born on November 25th, 1943 in the town of Toco, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. She is the third of five children born to Gertrude Alexander, now deceased. Auntie Joyce is survived by her loving and devoted daughter Charlene, her granddaughter Dalanei, her brothers Carlton and Lenox, her husband and a host of other relatives.

She attended the Progressive High School and the Ogles Commercial School of Port of Spain. In 1967 Auntie Joyce migrated to the United States and settled in Boston, Massachusetts which would remain her home. In 1968 she married Derek Ovid Willoughby and on September 29th,1970 she gave birth to her only child Charlene Lisa Willoughby, whom she and Derek would agree was their life’s greatest gift and crowning achievement.That is of course until their granddaughter Dalanei Chrystina Willoughby came along on February 5th, 1997. In 1995 she married Andre S. Meyers.

She was a wife and mother and continued her education at the Oppor-tunities Industrial Career Center in Roxbury, Massachusetts. She started her career at the Prudential Insurance Company and later spent 30 years at Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a Medical Transcriber. She would remain at the Brigham until her retirement in 2005. Additionally, she was a devoted mem­ber of this church, her church, the Church of the Holy Spirit.

But these are just words on a sheet of paper because they don’t capture the essence of who Auntie Joyce was to so many of us. She was such a quiet, gentle and loving soul and was truly beautiful. Like her daughter Charlene said to her father after looking at so many beautiful pictures of her mother, “Now I know why you were chasing after my mother”. She was truly beauti­ful inside and out. She opened up her heart and home to many friends and family over the years.

She was an avid catalog shopper, so much so that the UPS driver would blow his horn everyday whether he had a package to deliver or not. This same UPS driver, Wayne Falconer, would become Dalanei’s father.

Auntie Joyce loved sunflowers. Anyone who visited her home would know that she had sunflower plates, silverware, tea cups, placemats, dish towels, pot holders etc.. Sunflowers also adorned the backsplash in her kitchen and the light switch on the wall. In the words of one of her friends “‘J’ was a sunflower freak”. And even now they adorn her casket.

She was passionate about her Trinidadian roots. She loved jumping up at Carnival time to the sounds of Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra and Branches steel band. Who can forget going by to pick her up for Carnival and seeing her decked out in a Trinidad flag outfit that she had sewn herself

She was an excellent baker. The holidays were not complete unless you got sweetbread and carrot cake from Auntie Joyce, and not just one she better make enough because we each needed at least two. And who can forget her pepper sauce? It was always just right.

The last Saturday of August you knew right where to find her. Chipping behind her beloved Branches. Pouring rain – – where’s Auntie Joyce? – – over there with her umbrella chipping behind Branches. Hot sun – – where’s Auntie Joyce? – – over there in the bright orange hat chipping along behind Branches. Oh no we can’t find her – – we left her behind to meet up with us later because she was slowing us down. Really? – – Well where is she now? Up ahead of you jumping up.

And who can forget Auntie Joyce behind the wheel of her car cruising along – – Not! No! Never! Uh-Uh! But she did have her drivers’ license for over 40 years.

Funeral service at Church of the Holy Spirit, 525 River Street, Mattapan, Saturday November 16 at 9:30 AM. Relatives and friends invited. Visiting hours at Dolan & Chapman Funeral Home, 5 Canton Avenue, MILTON VILLAGE, Friday 6-9 PM. Interment Cedar Grove Cemetery.