Marlborough – Joyce A. (Aucoin) Coye, 81, of Marlborough, died on Friday, August 11,2023 at the Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital, Westborough, MA. Born in Waltham, MA, she was the daughter of the late Hector J. and Marie Louise (Doucette) Aucoin and the wife of Thomas L. Coye, the love of her life for the past 64 years (December would have been their 65th anniversary).
Joyce was a person who truly gave of herself and accomplished much in her lifetime, sometimes seeming as though she had more than 24 hours in her day. For more than three decades, while raising her family, she provided in-home day care to scores of children who, to this day, still consider “Joycey” their surrogate mom. She also worked tirelessly to provide for the needs of the Marlboro Public School System, the Greater Boston Food Bank and Catholic Charities of Boston, where she and her husband Tom served monthly dinners for those living with HIV/AIDS.
Ever the nurturer, she crocheted literally thousands of professional-quality sweaters and afghans in order to ensure that everyone stayed warm, and christening gowns to help welcome new lives into the world. No decent article of clothing was discarded; instead she made sure that it went to someone who could use it.
Mostly, though, she gave whatever was needed to whoever might need it… be it a warm smile, a kind word, sound and compassionate advice, a hearty meal, a loving hug, a caring ear or a good kick-in-the-pants if it were needed. She came from good French-Canadian stock.
Those who knew Joyce knew that she absolutely loved meeting people- all people. Race, color, creed, identity, preference or background made no difference to her. In fact, she found the differences in others to be both beautiful and interesting. She genuinely was interested in knowing more about everyone she encountered and thusly, Joyce was beyond happy to share herself with anyone she met. Anyone indeed fortunate enough to engage with her quickly discovered her lively, open and welcoming spirit, her wry sense of humor, and her uncanny ability to make you her instant friend.
She was fiercely protective of those she loved, and did so with quiet yet determined resolve and tenacity. She displayed unmatched fortitude and resiliency when facing the many challenges life presented her. She took pride in her nails, enjoyed bargain shopping and loved a laugh over a good cup of coffee with any one of her hundreds and hundreds of friends that she acquired over the years.
But what Joyce considered to be her greatest accomplishment, (aside from her nearly 65-year marriage), was her four children. She called them her “blessings”. They included her sons, Tommy and Danny, and her daughters; Julie (Battaglino) and Eva (Bertulli), as well as her considered children, which included; Tommy’s late partner, J. Allen Collier, Danny’s wife; Tania (Benedetto), and Julie and Eva’s husbands; Robert Battaglino and Scott Bertulli. All of whom were warmed by her unconditional love and radiant pride.
Besides her husband and children, Joyce is survived by her wildly cherished grandchildren; Emma, Molly and Marisa Coye, Jude and Lucia Battaglino, Anthony and Coraline Bertulli, and deeply beloved sisters; Donna M.L. (Aucoin) Reynolds and Brenda M. (Aucoin) Gorgone, as well as her 20 nieces and nephews, and a countless number of extended family, surrogate children and grandchildren, friends and godchildren. Simply put, Joyce Ann Coye (Aucoin) was the personification of love. She had a heart big enough for all, and in turn, she, (as her children would say), was loved “as big as the whole sky and all of the Americas”.
Visiting hours for Joyce will be held on Thursday, August 17,2023, from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm, at the Slattery Funeral Home, Inc. 40 Pleasant Street, Marlborough, MA 01752. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, August 18, 2023, at 11:00 am at St Matthias Church 409 Hemenway Street, Marlborough, MA 01752. Interment will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation in Joyce’s name to Catholic Charities of Boston, [email protected].
