Richard C. Joy Sr., 86, of North Beach, MD passed away peacefully at Hospice House of the Chesapeake, April 15, 2023. His last days continued to teach his family lessons in grace, compassion, and how to live life well. Richard was born March 1, 1937, in South Berwick, ME, the second child of Raymond Linden Joy and Thelma Eva Edgerly. He was raised in Dover, NH with his three siblings Robert, Denis, and Judy. In his formative years, Richard excelled at basketball and mathematics. He graduated from Dover High School in 1954 and followed his older brother Robert into the Army. At just 17, his mother Thelma gave parental consent, and he became the youngest volunteer the draft Board Supervisor had ever processed at the time. After serving his country he used the GI bill to better his future and followed Robert and several of his fellow veterans to attend Keene Teachers College in NH. There, he was the president of Kappa Delta Phi, Class President, in Who’s Who of 1960, and co-captain of the basketball team.
After graduation in 1960, Richard took a job teaching in Marlboro, NH. As fate would have it, his younger brother Denis introduced Joyce Allmendinger to him, and he literally carried her away to be his wife. Richard was inclined to look back on as “the best thing that ever happened to him”. Richard and Joyce M. Allmendinger were married in February 1962. They started their life together as Richard started teaching in Ellington, Connecticut and continued his education, receiving his master’s degree from The University of Connecticut. They welcomed their daughter Patricia in 1965 and their son Richard Jr. in 1968. Richard took a job in the Glastonbury school system, where he spent 22 years of his nearly 35 years as an educator.
He was a dedicated husband, father and teacher, who found no task to be too difficult, and no request from his family to be unreasonable. He was a loving father who accepted that neither of his children would follow his life-long love of math and took joy in following their activities and adventures. From summers on the New Jersey shore to the coast of North Carolina, from volleyball games to summer basketball leagues, he was always there with a smile and a ‘go get’em’.
After retiring, he and Joy moved to North Beach, MD to be near their grandchildren. He was drawn to the bay and loved his mornings on the boardwalk. He embraced his new community, volunteering and connecting with his church family at Grace Brethren. There were many concerts, sporting events, graduations, and family gatherings with his grandchildren, who all affectionately called him Poppy. He was an exceptional man that will be sorely missed by all who loved him.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Thelma, his brother Robert Joy, and his sister Judy Vachan. He is survived by his wife Joyce M. Joy of North Beach, Maryland; daughter Patricia (Ray) Giunta of Fort Myers, Florida; son Richard (Julene) Joy of Alexandria, Virginia; grandchildren Siena Joy, Nathaniel Joy, Jacob Joy, and Elijah Giunta; and his brother Denis (Joan) Joy of Maine.

Richard’s family will receive friends on Wednesday June 7, 2023 from 10-11 AM at Calvert Grace Brethren Church, 9870 Old Solomons Island RD, Owings, MD, where a Life Celebration service will be held at 11:00 AM, with a reception to follow. Contributions in Richard’s name can be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake.