Over the past eight years, RC 10 has been involved in making and distributing Joy Bears to cancer patients in the RC 10 geographic area, and many RC 10 members and guests have participated in twice-yearly work sessions to decorate the bears. (See the article at http://rc10.ny.aft.org/archive-rc-10-articles/joy-bears-created-rc-10-members for more information on RC 10's involvement in this worthwhile project). Joy Bears first began in 2008 when Guilderland retiree Joyce Foley battled ovarian cancer, and a friend began making the bears for Joyce to pass out to her fellow patients during chemotherapy treatments.
Unfortunately, Joyce left us on Valentine's Day, in Naples, FL, perhaps a symbolic day for someone whose life was filled with so much heart and service. Her impact will be long felt, as the Joy Bears Project continues in her memory. Her obituary is reprinted below:
"Joyce (Haire) Foley passed away on Tuesday, February 14th, after a long and courageous fight with cancer. She is survived by her best friend and love of her life, her husband, Jack. Joyce was born in Queens, NY and grew up in East Northport, LI. Prior to moving to Naples, Jack and Joyce lived in Niskayuna, NY and Stone Harbor, NJ.
After graduating from SUNY at Oneonta, Joyce was employed at the Lynnwood School in the Guilderland School District for 34 years, as a teacher of second, third and fourth-grade students.
After an early retirement from teaching, Joyce re-enrolled in college and completed certification requirements in Gerontology and Bereavement Counseling. She was devoted to sharing her skills as a caregiver and served as a Hospice volunteer in Schenectady for seven years. After relocating to Naples, FL, Joyce continued her quest to give back to the community in which she lived. She spent countless hours as a volunteer to several charitable organizations. Among them were the Guadalupe Social Service Center's Food Pantry, fundraising drives for Cancer Alliance of Naples. She was also recognized for her ten-year commitment to at-risk elementary students in an after-school program at Grace Place, where she was named the Volunteer of the Year.
Perhaps Joyce's most treasured volunteer work centered around giving comfort to other cancer patients by organizing a "Ms. Joy Bear Project." "Joy Bears" are decorated teddy bears that were hand decorated by the 150 women who were recruited by Joyce to decorate and distribute these bears to give comfort to men, women, and children cancer patients undergoing various stages of treatment. After a modest beginning at Heritage Bay Golf and Country Club, over 3600 bears have been distributed in the Naples area, other parts of Florida, as well as in New York and Georgia.
In addition to spending countless hours of her time doing charitable works, Joyce found time to assist in forming a Ladies Golf Association at Heritage Bay and was selected as President of the Ladies 9 Holers. An added passion for Joyce was to support the Florida Gulf Coast University men and women's basketball teams.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, John and Elizabeth Haire, her sister Maureen ("Mighty Mo") Baxter and brother Richard (Rickie) Haire.
She was the dear sister-in-law to Penny Haire, Debbie and Kevin Daly, Liz Henry, Claire Niven, Mary Ellen Foley O'Brien, Gerry and Ed Hebert and Bill and Madeline Foley. Joyce is also survived by many close nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, and her beloved husband Jack."
A funeral mass was celebrated in Naples on February 21. There will be a memorial service held on April 14 at 9 am, at Katerina Tekakwitha Church Parish,1803 Union Street, Schenectady. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Agnes Catholic Church, 7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, FL; or Guadalupe Social Services, 211 South 9th Street, Immokalee, FL, 34142, attention Peggy Rodriguez.