About Joyce

Originally from Leicester, England, Joyce was a proud Canadian veteran and British war bride. She was a private in the Canadian Armed Forces, Canadian Women’s Army Corps assigned to the 43rd company out of Canada’s military headquarters in London during the Second World War. She married Arthur Paynter in 1943 while volunteering with the British Red Cross and, without yet setting foot on Canadian soil, enlisted with the Canadian Armed Forces.

Joyce came to PEI via the Ile de France troop ship through Pier 21 in Halifax in 1945. Art and Joyce settled in French River where they farmed and were keepers of the Cape Tryon lighthouse until Art’s health issues took them to Charlottetown. Art and Joyce worked as a houseparent team at the Sherwood Home until Art’s passing in 1970. As a very young widow, Joyce devoted the remainder of her life to providing for her family and her community.

She was a loyal and decorated member of The Royal Canadian Legion, being a member since 1962. Her medals included volunteer service, defense medal, victory medal 1939-45, Diamond Jubliee, 75th Anniversary and the past officers medal. She was a member of the Branch’s “Sick and Visiting Committee” for 12 years. She also served on several committees including: the Honours & Awards, Public Relations, Branch Entertainment, Ways & Means, Education Bursary and the Sport Committee. An advocate for ex-service women, her efforts earned women the right to parade back to the Branch upon conclusion of the Remembrance Day ceremony, which she proudly lead as the first female veteran ever. Joyce established a number of other firsts for female Veterans. Joyce became the first woman to serve as Honorary President of Branch No. 1 (a post she held both in 1988 and 1999) and of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Command. She received the Legion’s highest award in the Meritorious Service Medal in 2001.

Joyce has been associated with several community organizations, including the Poppy Campaign, Meals on Wheels, the Red Cross, 4-H, the Women’s Institute, the Mentally and Physically Challenged and the Prince Edward Island Addiction Foundation, through which she helped form an Auxiliary for the Alcoholism Treatment Centre, Past President of the Women’s Auxiliary for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, an Assistant Director of Local 19 of the Prince Edward Island Government Retirees, Founding member of Big Brothers on PEI, Committee member of a group that led to the inclusion of Big Sisters with Big Brothers and a member of the Seniors Active Living Centre. She received the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation medal in 2002 in honor of her contributions to the care and well-being of veterans and also for her own sacrifices as a veteran.

She was widow to veteran of WWII Arthur Paynter and daughter of British Army veteran of WWI William Andrews.

Joyce was a lifelong advocate for peace. She spoke to thousands of Island children in schools and daycares through her work with the poppy campaign and her favourite line was “I’m not here to talk to you about war, I’m here to talk to you about the importance of peace”. Joyce lived very lean and was her family was very important to her. She gave tirelessly to her community, her country and to her family.

Joyce passed in July of 2019.