Joyce F. Colby

Joyce F. Colby

BARRE – Joyce F. Colby, 92, a longtime resident of Middle Road, passed away on Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Lincoln House Residential Care Home in Barre.

Born on April 22, 1932, at home in Albion, Maine, she was the fourth child of Seth and Gladys (Glidden) Fuller and grew up on the family farm where each child had their jobs – helping in the garden, hoeing corn, milking by hand, treading hay on the load and in the barn, gathering eggs, feeding the pigs, picking corn for the canning factory, etc. She attended Bessey School, grades 1-12 and graduated in 1950.  She also attended the local church.  Joyce then went on to attend Missionary Training Institute, now Nyack College in Nyack, New York where she earned a diploma in Christian Education in 1953.  She then moved to Vermont in the fall of 1953 and went to work for the New England Fellowship based in Rumney, NH and in Boston, MA.  Joyce taught Bible classes in rural schools in Vermont for two years going into these schools with an accordion, flannel graph board and an easel.  During this time, she stayed in hostess homes on a two-week circuit going up and down the eastern side of Vermont.  In one of those homes with a Pastor and his wife, she met her future husband, Richard, affectionately called Dick.

On August 27, 1955, Joyce married the love of her life, Richard Colby in the East Topsham Presbyterian Church.  The two made their home in Topsham where they raised three wonderful children before moving to Barre Town.

Believing that teaching was her calling, she taught in summer camps in Maine, New Hampshire, and one summer in Kentucky as a camp counselor before she married.  She also taught Ladies Bible classes, Sunday School and AWANA.  She also took summer school and extension classes to get the equivalent of 4 years college.  She taught in the Resource Room at BMU school for 7 years.  Then in 1977, she began teaching at Websterville Baptist Children’s School grades one and two, then later kindergarten, retiring in 1997, although she continued to teach Ladies Bible classes until 2013.

Throughout her life, Joyce had many hobbies and interests.  The most important of those included sewing, knitting, spending time with her family and playing instruments like the piano, organ, violin and accordion.  She was also a member of the Groton Baptist Church, Websterville Baptist Church, Bible Baptist Church in Berlin and Barre Evangelical Free Church. At Lincoln House she was an active senior, enjoyed playing the piano and sharing her love of music and God with her fellow residents and with the staff.

Survivors include her daughter Mary Colby of San Pedro, CA; her two sons Richard Colby II and his wife, Judy, of South Ryegate, VT and John Colby and his wife, Jennifer of Litchfield, ME; as well as five grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and her sister Mary Sodergren as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband Richard Colby, her son Timothy Colby, her grandson Andrew Colby and great-grandson Owen Colby as well as her siblings Marion Fuller, Richard Fuller and Shirley Grudda.

A service to honor and celebrate Joyce’s life will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. in the Barre Evangelical Free Church, 17 South Main Street, Barre.   Family and friends may call on Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Hooker Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, Barre.  For a memorial guestbook, please visit www.hookerwhitcomb.com

Memorial contributions in Joyce’s name may be made to the Compassion Ministry, Barre Evangelical Free Church, 17 South Main Street, PO Box 277, Barre, VT 05641 or to the Lincoln House, 120 Hill Street, Barre, VT 05641.