Walter L. Joyce

Walter Leo Joyce went to his eternal reward September 23, 2023. Born July 13, 1931, to Patrick and Catherine Joyce in Chicago, Ill. He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 60 years, JoAnne Rita Charland Joyce.

Visitation will be from 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday, October 1, 2023, at Flanner Buchanan – Zionsville at 105 W. Pine St., Zionsville, IN 46077. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Monday, October 2 at St. Luke Catholic Church located at 7575 E. Holliday Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46260.

Walt is survived by eight children: Eileen (Mark) DeGuire, Jim (Julie) Joyce, Maureen (Martin) Biermeier, Patricia (Karl) Grupp, Katheen (Martin) Gonzalez, Dan (Liz) Joyce, Margaret (Jim) Grey, and John (Eileen) Joyce. He is also survived by twenty-five grandchildren and twenty-three great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death are granddaughter Samantha Gonzalez; Mariah Nay Rawson, wife of grandson, Jeffrey Rawson; and great-grandson Joshua Masarik together with several children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren born into heaven.

Walt is an alum of Aurora University in Illinois. However, his most formative education came through the Society of the Divine Word Seminary having studied in Girard, PA. and Canisius, NY. Walter made lifelong friends during his studies with the Society of Divine Word Missionaries.

He was an active member of the Catholic singles organization in Pittsburgh where he met and fell in love with his wife, JoAnne. They began their married life in Pittsburgh, but soon moved to Chicago and eventually to St. Charles, Ill.

He worked for more than 35 years for Eaton Corporation in Carol Stream, Ill. where he was a part of the management team.

He was blessed with a gift for language and vocabulary. An avid reader, Walt enjoyed reading both fiction and non-fiction, but each day started with reading his Bible.

With his wife and family, Walt enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and eventually to Ireland and Europe. As a proud Irishman, he enjoyed reconnecting with extended family in Ireland and the adventure of independently exploring Europe with JoAnne.

After attending a Cursillo weekend, a Catholic renewal retreat, in the 1980’s, Walter routinely volunteered his nights to serve the homeless in the community. He regularly offered his time and talents to the church (St. John Neumann, St. Charles, Ill. and St. Luke, Indianapolis, Ind.) as an usher and lector, as well as the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Later he volunteered his time at St. Vincent Hospital assisting patients heading back home.

Walt enjoyed nothing more than sharing a meal and stories at the dinner table with friends and family. He was a great conversationalist and was always interested in learning about others.

Walt and JoAnne both supported and were supported by the Society of the Divine Word Missionaries. Memorials may be made in his name at P.O. Box 6099 Techny, IL 60082 or visit www.svdmissions.org/give. De Colores.