Joyce Kerwin

Mrs. William F. Kerwin, Jr. (Joyce), 96, of Green Bay, passed away peacefully at Odd Fellows Home in Green Bay on Thursday, March 12, 2015. Joyce was born on November 7, 1918 in New Haven, Connecticut, the only child of George and Jennie Lorello.

Joyce attended Edgewood Park Junior College in Briarcliff Manor, New York, where she took classes in administrative and secretarial services. While attending classes, Joyce met the love of her life, Bill Kerwin, on a blind date in New Haven. After a courtship that consisted of one date a week for nineteen weeks, Joyce and Bill were married on September 6, 1943 in New Haven. From that day forward, the Lord truly blessed Joyce and Bill with four wonderful children and more than 70 years together.

After a brief honeymoon, Joyce and Bill moved to Oklahoma City, OK where Bill completed his Army Air Corps service at Tinker Field. The couple then moved to Bill's home town of Green Bay, where Joyce set up her practice of mother and house wife, a profession she excelled at for the next 70 years. In her spare time, Joyce was very involved in the Service League of Green Bay, St. Vincent Hospital Auxiliary, Family Services of Green Bay and Brown County Library.

Joyce was also a very active parishioner at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish. Joyce was a voracious reader, enjoyed traveling internationally with Bill, and made many a cross-stitch and needle point project when time allowed.
Joyce lost her life's partner Bill on January 14, 2014 after nearly 70-1/2 years of marriage. Joyce lived her remaining months with a smile on her face and a kind word for all who came to call, but it is a true blessing that she has now been reunited with Bill in their eternal home.

In addition to Bill, Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, George and Jennie Lorello, brothers-in-law John Kerwin and Fred Dorband, and sisters-in-law Ann Kerwin, Dot Kerwin and Mary Dorband.

Joyce is survived by her children Patricia (William) Hearden, Green Bay; George (Kasha) Kerwin, DePere; Barbara (Daniel) DeBaker, Racine; and Peter (Kathleen) Kerwin, Sturgeon Bay; along with twelve grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Family and friends may call on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 from 9:30 to 11 AM, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, 140 S. Monroe Ave., Green Bay. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00am, with Rev. Joseph E. Dorner officiating. Entombment will be at Allouez Chapel Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Joyce's memory may be made to Unity Hospice.

The family would like to recognize and thank Arlene Ambrose for her years of loving service bestowed upon Joyce as well as the excellent work of the many caregivers at Bellevue Assisted Living, Unity Hospice and Odd Fellows Home over the past year and a half. Your care and compassion for Joyce will never be forgotten.