Joyce Elizabeth McMahon

Born 1 June 1933, entered eternal life 22 January 2022

Eulogy given by her son Mark McMahon

Joyce had such a generosity of spirit, a deep sense of caring for others and a deep faith in God. Her impact on family, friends, and anyone she met is immeasurable.  Her life experience and belief have been driving forces in caring for her parents, family and others in need, and all other aspects of her life pursuits.  These attributes are the very essence of Joyce and have forever been present throughout her journey.  They have sustained her, nurtured her, given her strength, and enabled her to provide us love and comfort throughout our lives.  And for that, we are so blessed.

Joyce Elizabeth McMahon was born on the 1st of June 1933 to Donald Carthage McDonald and Catherine Schmit McDonald.  Being the youngest of three siblings and sister to Donald John and Bruce Henry, she was affectionately referred to as “Joydee”.  She retained a lifelong bond with them until Bruce’s calling to God in 2002 and Donald’s calling in 2016.  The strength of their family bond was always present at the Sunday family gatherings at Banool Road, where Joyce, Bruce and Donald grew up.  Our respective families would meet to digest the week’s events and look forward to upcoming plans and activities.  It was a highlight for the week, and I would often look forward to seeing mum’s laughter and banter with her brothers and catching up with Auntie Alma and our cousins.

Upon reflection of her upbringing, Joyce had fond memories of her mum and dad.  She loved singing and dancing “the Polka” with them around the kitchen at Banool Road, and she and her mum often did ‘high kicks’ to music that almost dismantled the dining room mantelpiece, which she thought were feats of Olympic magnitude.  Joyce loved her mum and dad and looked upon them as guiding forces in her life.

Of her mum, Joyce fondly referred to her as a “Jack of all Trades”, regardless of whatever she turned her hand to; gardening, dressmaking, or building stone wall fences.  Joyce’s love of nature and gardening is passed down from her mum and is something to behold.  Her garden of 27 years at Eildon was loving, inviting, effervescent, and a sanctuary for all of us who visited her. 

In her early life, Joyce attended Our Holy Redeemer, and All Hallows schools, gaining her “Certificate of Merit”, and commenced her nursing training at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, in 1951, graduating in 1954.

Joyce nursed many patients throughout her career.  One particular tale where Joydee, with a twinkle in her eye, relays the story when she was asked by a male patient for a bottle to relieve himself early on in her nurse training.  When Joydee couldn’t find one from the store, she acquired one straight from the steam cleaning room’s hot sterilising machine and hurried it to the patient, who grabbed it and whipped it under the covers.  Joyce was greeted with a painful shriek and the patient bellowing, “Sister, what are you trying to do – ring bark me!”  Joydee vowed that she would need to pace herself in the interest of patient care should she get another request for a bottle that came from the sterilising machine.

Joyce was a wonderful nurse whose passion for caring for others shone brightly.  In later life, Joyce nursed her mother and father in their final days and Auntie Alma, who lived with us at Nunawading for six years before passing away in 1984.

Joyce and Tom married in 1954 and had four children.  Joyce’s devotion to family has been central to her.  She was devoted to raising and supporting her children, Donna, Paul, Jackie, and Mark, all through her life.

As we grew up and had our own families, throughout our trials and tribulations, successes or otherwise, Joyce was always there to provide support, encouragement and, above all else, love to us all.  Joyce was there not only for us but her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Joyce’s wisdom and insights are guiding lights, and she would always encourage her family to chase “one’s dreams”.  Joyce has always been there with open arms and loved sharing our achievements.  Jackie’s nursing, Paul’s poetry, Donna’s art, and Mark’s music all have roots in Joyce’s love and nurturing of each of us.

Joyce’s faith in God and her devotion to caring for others is forevermore inspiring.  As part of the Charismatic Renewal Group at her Mitcham Parish, her faith in God grew stronger in challenging times.  It reminded us of mum’s story where she recalled that her mother (who was Church of England amongst a household of Catholics) was deemed the best Christian in the house.  Joyce’s mother would say, “Regardless of one’s denomination, faith and relationship with God is everything; we all have a path to God, and I go direct”.  And Joyce would often say, “I too, go direct”.

This epitomises Joyce’s spirit.  Regardless of one’s background, Joyce was never judgmental, never condemnatory, nor disparaging, but open, accepting and embracing of everyone.  Whilst we all have human frailties, Joyce looked to bring out the best in us.  Like our dinners at Banool Road, Sunday dinners at Mark’s home in Nunawading were communal and embracing affairs with family and friends.  Among the sandwiches and soup, this was Joydee connecting with family, and her hugs and love were always on offer.

In 1989 Joyce realised a life ambition of combining and sharing her faith in a practical way and completed her Diploma of Pastoral Psychotherapy at the Hofbauer Institute under the Redemptorists Order at St Kilda.  Upon completion, Joyce worked with the Pregnancy Action Centre “Open Doors” in Ringwood, providing counselling services and support to families in crisis.  She was compassionate, skilled, and helped support families in their time of grief and difficulty.  She empowered them to recover and heal from life events.  In addition to her work at Open Doors, Joyce conducted her own psychotherapy practice for many years.

In 1995 Joyce’s move to Eildon provided her solace, comfort, and contentment.  She loved the tranquillity of the rural setting and all that nature provided.  She loved seeing kangaroos in the paddock in the morning mist, rosellas and parrots in her fernery and on her back porch, bees in her garden and birds nestling among her trees and shrubs.  Joyce loved birds; the blue wren (native to Tasmania and Eastern Australia) was her favourite.  Joyce’s outreach and community spirit were evident in her later years in Eildon.  Her love of dancing and singing continued with her involvement with the Taggerty line dancing group and the Alexandra singers’ group.  Joydee was instrumental in instigating activities for her fellow senior citizens at the local community centre, and her involvement with the Alexandra Probus Club nurtured many enduring friendships.

Joydee, in our eyes, you have lived a remarkable life of love and service.  You were so blessed in this life and now in eternal life.  May God care for you, nurture you and love you, and I know that when our turn comes, you will greet us with open arms, our darling mum.

From the song ‘Golden Slumbers’ by The Beatles

Once there was a way

To get back homeward

Once there was a way

To get back home

Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby

Golden slumbers fill your eyes

Smiles await you when you rise

Sleep pretty darling, do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby.