Ona Joyce Mitchell-Chase
Joyce passed on to her next journey on April 22, 2024 at the age of 92 at Sturdy Hospital in Attleboro, Massachusetts. She lived most of her adult life in Mansfield, Massachusetts where she raised her family, tended her gardens, and read voraciously.
Joyce was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts on January 5, 1932 to Dr. Thurber Howe Heath and Ovelia Taylor. Her father was a veterinarian, and her mom was a registered nurse. Joyce graduated from Haverhill High School in 1949 and was a member of the Philomathean Club. Philomathean’s are lovers of learning. She lived that oath throughout her life. She used to spend many of her summers visiting her cousin’s Gloria, Jerome and Denis in Moores Folks, New York where her mom was born. After High School, she attended Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School and began working at the Estabrook & Co in Boston where she met John W. Mitchell.
Joyce married John W. Mitchell (1927) on August 16, 1952, and after a brief search for a home, they settled on South Main Street in Mansfield, Massachusetts in 1953. Joyce and John immediately began building their family with son Mark Steven, Beth Ann, Jane Marie and John Heath. Whilst growing her family, she spent her limited free time learning to love flower gardening and working with John to restore a home that was originally built in 1824. She also was a major believer in giving back to the community and often the less fortunate. She volunteered for the League of Women Voters, Public Broadcasting System (channel 2) during their annual fund-raising campaign, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and West-Side Benevolent amongst others. It was a theme in her life-giving back and always learning from it. Much love and grit were invested by Joyce in her family, home, gardens and community. In 1968, they ventured out by purchasing their first cottage on Church Road in Brewster, Massachusetts (Cape Cod). Joyce would spend the entire summer on the beach with the kids. They loved it so much that John left the hustle of Boston and opened The Silver Barn, a retail business at a second property in Brewster in 1970. Joyce assisted John starting the business, and made many friends at the beach, but also had fun with the kids visiting local small businesses in Orleans, Chatham and P-town.
Joyce was a real-estate broker and property manager for years and then opened her own residential cleaning business in the early 80s.
In 1984, Joyce married artist, writer and historian, Harry Bennett Chase of Mansfield. They continued to live on South Main Street in Mansfield where she spent her time gardening, reading and doing home DIY. She was able to take a few breaks to travel to Europe, Florida, and Arizona with several of her children.
In addition to her children Mark (Kathy), Beth, Jane (Steve) and John, she leaves three grandchildren, John Mitchell, Benjamin (Lauren) and Haley Barber and 2 great grandchildren.
Arrangements are private at the wishes of deceased.
To send her family a message of condolence, please visit www.shermanjackson.com