Michael Joyce resided in Duryea with his loving
wife, the former Laura Doran, and was the proud
father of 2 children, Abby and Aaron. He
was very active in the community where he served
as director of the Avoca Basketball League,
President of Avoca Jolly Boys, and was involved
with the Pittston Area Intermediate Center.
Michael coached a 5th Grade Girls Basketball
team and an Avoca Little League baseball team.
He was also a former board of director for
Taylor Nursing Home, Lector / Finance Committee
Member at St. Mary's church in Avoca, and was a
member of the Ancient Order of Hyberia, Neil
McLaughlin Avoca Chapter. He was a loyal
basketball fan of St. John's University,
Philadelphia Phillies Red Baron's Baseball and
Dallas Cowboys.
Michael graduated from Scranton Prep and The
University of Scranton with a Masters Degree in
Health Administration. He completed his
undergraduate work at University of New Haven.
He also held a degree from the Culinary
Institute of America. As president of
Joyce Financial Group in Pittston, PA he
assisted seniors in preparing and implementing
retirement plans for over 8 years. Michael
developed a specialty in working with retirees
and those about to retire who want to protect
their principal and insure that their money
lasts.
Michael loved sports. Next to spending time with
his family, Michael’s favorite activities
involved playing, coaching and watching sports.
As a matter of fact, sports even gave him an
opportunity to spend more time with his two
children. He enjoyed playing catch in the
yard, taking Aaron to the batting cages to hit
balls or helping Abby learn to shoot a
basketball. Of all the sports, basketball
was his favorite. From Saturdays at the
Legion in Avoca, refereeing games or coaching
his kids, to watching his nephew Billy play for
Scranton Prep, to going to Madison Square Garden
to watch his beloved Red Storm, Michael enjoyed
basketball season to the fullest. Almost
any night from December to March, you would find
Michael (usually with one of his kids) watching
the “game of the night” at some local high
school gym from Scranton to Wilkes-Barre.
He could be found right there in the front row
with the other basketball junkies analyzing the
game strategy with his son “Buck” or daughter
Abby. Michael was a regular at the annual
Pittston Basketball Holiday Tournament and was
the one who offered to help sponsor the
tournament as a tribute to his father.
It is fitting for the rest of us to take a
moment to remember Michael Joyce, not just as a
sports fan but as an outstanding father and
husband and a great civic leader. His
courageous battle with cancer became an
inspiration to so many people, that his untimely
death became a celebration of a life well spent
rather than the sorrow of a life wasted.
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