Obituary: Joyce Molinero

Whitehall-Joyce Molinero, 89, a lifelong resident of Whitehall, passed away Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.

Born May 30, 1930 in Whitehall, she was the daughter of the late Claude and Frances (Clark) Perry.

Joyce graduated from Whitehall High School in 1947. She graduated in April 1948 from the Mildred Elley Business

School. She graduated on a Friday and started work on the following Monday at the Champlain Spinners, where she worked for five years. She then worked at Jackson’s Embossing until 1957. She was also a bookkeeper for Beckwith Oil Company.

She moved with her husband and children to Poughquag, New York, as her husband pursued his career as a corrections officer. She also worked at IBM as an inspector in Wappingers Falls, before returning to Whitehall in 1962.

She and her husband built and operated Whitehall Mobile Homes and several other rental properties. She continued running the family business until her death.

Joyce was very active in the Whitehall Grange #922 and the Whitehall Rural Charity Club. She was a big supporter of many community activities including the Whitehall Festival. She was an avid supporter of the Whitehall Railroaders and any endeavors that would benefit the youth of Whitehall.

She is predeceased by her loving husband of 49 years, John Molinero, who passed away in 2000. She is also predeceased by her two sons, Neil T. Molinero, who died in 1980, and John F. Molinero, who died in 1984, her daughter-in-law Janet Jillson, who died in 2017, her son-in-law John Sparano Sr., who died in 2019, and her three sisters, Marion Long, Beverly Perry and Wilma Perry.

Joyce is survived by her two loving daughters Peggy Molinero Sparano and Beth Molinero, and her sons-in-law Jeffrey Grenier and Jay Jillson, all of Whitehall. She is survived by 12 grandchildren: Krista and Richard Cotich of Granville, Gretta and Peter Hochsprung of Queensbury, Charisse Molinero of Conway, South Carolina, Heidi and Scotty Dockum of Whitehall, Neil and Nicole Molinero of Whitehall, Amber and Andrew Frenyea of Queensbury, Megan and Colin Wilbur of Whitehall, Victoria Diekel and Maxwell Klass of Queensbury, Lt. 1st Class John Diekel of the U.S. Air Force, currently stationed in Turkey, Nicole and Brian Tursi of Benson, Vermont, Jeffrey and Chantalle Grenier of Queensbury, and John Sparano Jr. of Whitehall.

She was very much loved by her 14 great-grandchildren Gavin, Jackson, Hayden, Carter, Griffin, Keira, Landon, Jillian, Rosalie, Anthony, Ryann, Kaylie, Alexis and Charlotte, and her beloved granddog Mr. Big.

She is also survived by her sister-in-law Angeline Whisher of Saratoga Springs and brother-in-law Morris Molinero and his wife Doris of Sedona, Arizona, as well as several nieces and nephews and close family friends.

Joyce cherished summer weekends watching all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren swim in her pool, as well as her family trips to Myrtle Beach, Maine and Disney World.

Joyce will be terribly missed as she was a very loving mother and grandmother, whose family was the most important part of her life. She relished hosting her entire family every Christmas Eve, where a mountain of presents stood taller than the grandkids. Her other favorite days were Memorial Day, when family and friends came together to celebrate her birthday and Halloween, when she looked forward to seeing the smiles on children’s faces to receive a full size candy bar. Joyce and her husband dedicated their lives to the community of Whitehall and supported numerous events and causes to benefit their hometown.

The family would like to thank Dr. Julie Foster, Dr. H. Peter Diercksen, Michelle Redmond and Anne Ruby of Community Health Castleton for their compassionate care of Joyce for the past 14 months. The family would also like to thank Joyce’s special cousin Nancy McMore of Whitehall for her weekly visits with Joyce and always putting a smile on her face reminiscing about the family.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at Jillson Funeral Home, 46 Williams St., Whitehall. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Whitehall Athletic Club, 62 Poultney St., Whitehall, with Pastor Kevin Gebo of the Truthville Baptist Church, followed by interment at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in Joyce’s name to the Whitehall Festival in support of the annual fireworks display, P.O. Box 222, Whitehall, N.Y. 12887.

Online condolences may be made at www.jillsonfuneralhome.com