Obituaries
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Joyce Munson (Harrison 1947-52)
Joyce was born on the 16th August 1936 in Barnhurst, a suburb of Bexleyheath and then in 1944, the family moved to Elmstead Market where she attended the local village school moving on to the Colchester Girls’ High School in 1947 until 1952.
It was during these early years that she developed her music skills - learning to play piano and also the violin. However, it was the piano that she continued to play throughout her life, the ragtime music of Scott
Joplin being a particular favourite right into her 80’s. Joyce was an accomplished ballroom and Latin American dancer, winning many medals with her partner, Arthur, who was to become her husband in 1957. She played much tennis (known for doing this in bare feet!), helping to found Wivenhoe Tennis club.
Her first serious job was with the Colchester Lathe Company, starting in 1956 as a Comptometer operator and also doing some freelance work from home when her children were young, checking invoices for Kent Blaxill. With her children at school, she worked firstly as the language laboratory technician at Alderman Blaxill School; then, moving on to the newly opened 6th Form College to take charge of the resource centre where she remained until retirement. Here she is remembered with great fondness for her kindness, readiness to help and her great humour.
Joyce loved being creative and excelled at knitting (successfully tackling complex patterns and even spinning her own wool), crochet, embroidery, tapestry and dress making.
Life threw Joyce a few curveballs over the years, with the loss of her firstborn, Philip in 1960 at the age of just 15 months; a serious road traffic accident in 1975 where she sustained life threatening injuries - such that she was not expected to survive and, of course, the loss of her husband in 1995. Her strength of spirit and sheer mindedness - determination to succeed - enabled her to meet those challenges head on, take them in her stride and carry on in the way her friends and family came to know so well.
She will be remembered for her love of life, laughter, kindness and letter writing. She remained a loyal member of the Old Girls and loved nothing more than a good natter and catch up. Sadly missed.
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Claire Munson (daughter-in-law)
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Winifred Greenfield (1940-45)
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Win died very recently and there is no time to put together an obituary. This will be included in our next Newsletter.
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