Obituary: Joyce E. (Andrea) Farrell

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Joyce E. (Andrea) Farrell
Joyce E. (Andrea) Farrell

WEST HARTFORD — Joyce E. (Andrea) Farrell died unexpectedly Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014 at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center after a brief illness. She was born on Jan. 25, 1926 at St. Joseph Hospital in Stamford. She is predeceased by her parents, James and Lucy (Whyles) Andrea.

She resided in Waterbury and Naugatuck most of her life and was most recently a resident of St. Mary Home in West Hartford since October 2013.

Joyce is also predeceased by her grandson, Nicholas M. Johnson. She is survived by her sons, P. Joseph (Joe) Farrell of West Hartford, Francis Farrell of Mansfield; and her daughters and sons-in-law, Jane Metiu and Horia Metiu of Santa Barbara, Calif. and Marjorie and Patrick Johnson of West Hartford. In addition, “Nanna Joyce” is survived by her grandsons, Michael Metiu and his wife, Daphnee, of San Francisco, Calif. and Nathaniel Johnson of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Joyce was also predeceased by her very special friend, Anthony Lambo, whose love, kindness, and support she always cherished. She was also grateful to her friends, Richard and Linda Stein of Bloomfield, for their support and thoughtfulness.

Joyce graduated from Wilby High School in Waterbury in 1943. After high school, she graduated from the Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School. She worked for US Time Co., Uniroyal, A.W. Hayden Co. (1957-1970) and retired from the Mattatuck Mfg. Co. in 1989 where she served as the personnel manager. She also worked part time for Avon Cosmetics and won several awards for her sales prowess. When Joyce was in high school, she was a tap dancer and in recent years she resumed dancing with her friends in the Line Dance Club at the Naugatuck Senior Center. She always loved Broadway musicals and built a large collection of recordings of her favorites. She was also a member of the Naugatuck Garden Club and particularly enjoyed the Book Club at the Naugatuck Public Library. She, much to everyone’s surprise, adopted a cat several years ago and enjoyed regaling family and friends with stories of her “bad boy Jake” the cat. She was a generous, charming and independent person who took special pride in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren. She especially enjoyed holiday meals with her family and friends and hosting cousins from England and Arizona throughout the years. She was always very health conscious and meticulous in her grooming and, despite her 88 years, we fully expected she would live to be at least 100 in the footsteps of her mom who lived to be 104.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Church of St. Helena, 30 Echo Lane, in West Hartford on Saturday, Sept.13, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford. Calling hours will be on Friday, Sept. 12, at Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home, 136 South Main St., West Hartford from 4 to 7 p.m.

The family wishes to express our sincere gratitude to the kind and thoughtful staff, particularly the direct care staff, at St Mary Home in West Hartford and the wonderful nurses and physicians at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford for your excellent care.

In lieu of flowers memorial gifts in honor of Joyce may be made to St. Mary Home, 2021 Albany Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117.

For online condolences and directions, visit www.taylorandmodeen.com.