Joyce Mucha

Joyce D. Mucha unexpectedly and peacefully passed away in her sleep of natural causes on March 24, 2025. She was born to John and Mary Mucha and was the youngest of three children. She was born at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Staten Island, New York and later attended Tottenville High School, from which she still had cherished friends. Her favorite subject was English, and she often reminisced on the days when Staten Island had horse farms.

Joyce wore her heart on her sleeve and never met a stranger in her life. She struck up a genuine conversation with literally everyone in this hurried world we live in, and they in return would light up to talk to her for a few minutes. Everything about Joyce was beautiful from her sweeping cursive to her blue eyes. She also found beauty in everything around her, most especially in flowers and animals. She knew every type of flower and every name of dog breed. She fed the birds and squirrels alike. 

A lifelong dog owner, Joyce found companionship in her two cats, Maddie and Willamena, later in life. She loved to learn everything about cats and would often put their care before her own. Still, no one was more important to Joyce than her three children-  Matthew, Jessica, and Deanna- and most especially her grandchildren, Thomas, Harleigh, James, Charlotte, and Logan. If proximity is a marker for the amount of quality time shared, then Joyce spent most every minute with her grandchildren. For ten years, she lived with her daughter Jessica and her children Harleigh, James, and Logan while simultaneously living directly across the street from Thomas and Charlotte, whom she often babysat. 

Joyce deeply loved movies and music, and most especially was a die-hard fan of the Rolling Stones. On any given day, she thrived on debating, “Who is the most iconic frontman of all time?” (The answer, of course, is Mick Jagger.) A special memory for Joyce is when her son Matthew took her to see the Rolling Stones in concert a few years ago. Joyce also saw the Stones at Madison Square Garden in their heyday. She firmly believed the best of music was behind us, and would declare proudly, “I’m old school.” She would often stop to listen to a song or two in its entirety with those around her.

A recent special memory for Joyce and the entire family was watching her daughter, Deanna, marry the love of her life, John. They shared a mother-daughter dance to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra.  There was nothing Joyce loved more than having the entire family together, and she recently was daydreaming and planning for a family summer trip to the Jersey Shore, a place that holds special meaning to the family. Her children hope to plan a Celebration of Life together this summer at the Jersey Shore in her honor.

Every phone call with Joyce required allocating an extra two minutes just to say goodbye. Each phone call ended with something like, “Alright, I love you, sweetheart. You have a good day now. Okay, alright, goodbye. Ah- huh, talk soon, I love you, Alright, bye bye now..I love you, Okay, bye bye.”  We only wish we were afforded the opportunity of those two extra minutes to say our final goodbyes on March 24th, 2025.

Joyce is survived by her three children, Matthew White, Jessica White, and Deanna Donnelly (John Donnelly); her brother-in-law Kenneth Maresca; her five grandchildren Harleigh White-Smith, Thomas White, James White-Smith, Charlotte White, and Logan White-Donnelly; and her two beloved cats Maddie and Willamena. She is preceded in death and joining her parents, John and Mary Mucha; her siblings, Donna Maresca and Jack Mucha; her former husband, Thomas White; and many beloved friends and pets

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