J oyce Ann Romeo Millett, 76, of County Route 21, passed into the loving arms of our lord Jesus surrounded by her loving family on Feb. 11, 2011, after a long and courageous battle with ovarian cancer.
Born on Oct. 20, 1934, in Whitehall, she was the daughter of the late Francis P. and Susan M. (Manell) Romeo.
Joyce was a member of the Whitehall Central School graduating class of 1952. On June 20, 1963, she married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, John Millett.
Besides her parents, she is predeceased by her son William Rehm, who died on Feb. 2, 2010, her brother, Francis P. (Bud) Romeo, brother-in-law James Van Guilder, and her in-laws, Bradley and Laura Millett.
John and Joyce opened a book and gift store in the late 1970s and then became the proprietors of Brocks Jewelry in the early 1980s. Previous to that time she was employed by the Silver Diner of Whitehall.
She was a member of the Whitehall Senior Citizens, serving as treasurer for many years, of the American Legion Auxiliary of Whitehall, past Exalted Lady of the Whitehall Fawns, Red Hat Society, Paternal Order of the Eagle Society, the Shriners of North America and of the Glens Falls Hospital Guild.
Joyce enjoyed her life to the fullest and always had a kind word for everyone she came in contact with. She enjoyed spending her summers on Lake Champlain, going to Maine with John every August and spending time in North Carolina with her daughter Debbie.
In addition to her husband of Whitehall, she was also a loving mother of seven children, Jeffrey Rehm of New Hampshire, Mitchel Rehm and his wife, Sue, of Pilot Knob, Debbie Craft and her fiancée, Doug Allen, of Wilmington, N.C., John Millett Jr. and his wife, Julie, of Whitehall, Laurie Millett and her partner, Carmen, of Guilderland, and Jamie Millett and his friend, Ashley, of Guilderland.; a stepdaughter, Denise Webb and her husband, David Shaw, of Florida; and her daughter-in-law, Margaret Rehm, of South Glens Falls; several grandchildren, Kayla and Ashley Millett, Melissa Kingsley, Maria Therrien, Justin Millett, Jon-Michael Rehm, Zachary Rehm, Jessie Rehm, and Jennifer Anderson; and three great grandchildren, Julian Kingsley, Gabriel Therrien, and Trevor Rehm. Joyce will be sadly missed by her sisters, Diane Prefountaine and her husband, Farrell, Carole VanGuilder, Linda Lee and her husband, Don, and Janice Bessette and her husband, Ron, and her sister-in-law, Janette Romeo, and also her sister-in-law, Mary Bartholomew, and her husband, Emerson Bartholomew; and several nieces and nephews.
John and her family would like to give a special thank you to Joyce’s daughter-in-law, Julie Millett for being so kind and loving to Joyce during her battle with this terrible disease. … you are an angel, and Father Flannery for his many visits.
The family would like to thank the Cancer Center, Tower 2 of Glens Falls Hospital, the Glens Falls Hospice girls, Michelle, Bonnie, and Jean, the Washington County nurses and Nancy and to the following doctors for their care during Joyce’s illness, Dr. D’Agastino, Dr. Stoutenburgh and Donna Boss.
A special thank you to Dr. Peter Gray for all your compassion and support to Joyce and her family.
Margaret Anderson made many hand-crafted greeting cards and made many visits during Joyce’s illness and the many cards and flowers that were sent by her friends, were greatly appreciated by the family. A special thank you to Vernon and Ruth Scribner for their personal care.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at
Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church with the Rev. Michael Flannery, pastor, officiating.
Interment will be in the spring at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery in Whitehall.
Family and friends may call at the Jillson Funeral Home, 46 Williams St., Whitehall, on Monday Feb., 14, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
The family suggests expressions of sympathy be made to the American Cancer Society,
959 Route 9, Mount Royal Plaza, Queensbury, N.Y. 12804, Skenesborough Rescue Squad,
P. O. Box 333, Whitehall, N.Y. 12887or a charity of one’s choice.
