Laconia-----Joyce French Munsey, 81, wife of George P. ”Jeep” Munsey III of 257 Belmont Road, died at the Belknap County Nursing Home on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 with her daughter, Mia, by her side.
Joyce was born October 30, 1932 in Laconia, one of five daughters of the late Clement C.B. and Alice (Guyer) French and graduated from Laconia High School in 1950, where she was very active in cheerleading and other school functions. She later attended Laconia Business College.
In 1951, Joyce married Jeep Munsey and joined him at UNH where they started their family.
Joyce was a longtime resident of Laconia and was a communicant of St. Joseph Church. She founded Jack & Jill Nursery School in 1964 where she taught hundreds of preschoolers along with the assistance of many close friends, before selling it in 1978 to Janet Carroll who continued the Jack & Jill tradition. She then moved on to another venture, buying children’s clothing institution, Jan & Her Friends from Janet LaFlamme located on Main Street. She operated the store throughout the 80’s up until her retirement. She later dabbled in many pursuits including property management, a craft store with friend Jane Irwin and volunteering countless hours at the St. Vincent DePaul Society right up until a year ago.
Joyce enjoyed golf at the Laconia Country Club and was president of the Women’s Twilight League. She was also an avid tennis player for a period of time and enjoyed playing at the Gilford Hills Club.
Joyce also cherished her times entertaining grandchildren and great grandchildren at the house especially during summer months as they were growing up. She passed on a great sense of humor to those children and was an extremely generous person to all who knew her.
Survivors include her husband of sixty-three years, George “Jeep” P. Munsey III, of Laconia; four sons, George P. Munsey IV of Leominster, Mass. (wife Penelope), Todd Clement Munsey of Sutherlin, Oregon (wife Stephanie), Joel Kelley Munsey of Palm Harbor, Florida James Morgan Munsey of North Palm Beach, Florida and Durham, N.H. (wife Deborah), and a daughter, Melissa Faye “Mia” Annis (husband Randy), of Laconia; fifteen grandchildren; seven great grandchildren She is also survived by three sisters, Anita Pintar of Lake Worth, Florida, Faye Lebel of Camden, S. Carolina and Lorraine Mathis of Melbourne, Florida. In addition to her parents, Joyce was predeceased by a sister, Shirley Sleeper and a granddaughter Amy Annis.
Memorial calling hours will be held on Monday, April 7, 2014 from 5:00PM-7:00PM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H.
According to Joyce’s wishes there will be no funeral service.
In lieu of flowers a Scholarship Fund benefiting Gilford High School Students has been set up in memory of Joyce’s granddaughter Amy under the name of “Friends of Amy” at Bank of NH, 62 Pleasant St. Laconia, NH 03246.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.