Rose Elizabeth (Joyce) McKechnie, 91, of Natick, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2011 in her home. She was the beloved wife of Robert Melton McKechnie, Sr. who passed away in 2002 and with whom he shared 62 years of marriage.
Born in Boston, Rose was the daughter of the late Thomas J. and Mary F. (Leverone) Joyce. She was raised in East Boston and attended the Boston Public Schools. After marrying her husband on March 30, 1940, Rose settled in Natick and was employed in the food industry for over 35 years, most notably at the Wellesley Inn. Together, Rose and Robert built a home in Dexter Maine where they found great enjoyment and warmly welcomed family and friends throughout their lives. Family was the center of Rose’s life and she will be remembered for the love she gave to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Rose also had a great fondness for animals, in particular her beloved cat “Shadow”. She was a communicant of St. Patrick’s Church in Natick and also enjoyed gardening.
Rose was the devoted mother of Robert M. McKechnie, Jr. and his wife Joan of Melrose and Paul D. McKechnie, Sr. and his wife Claire of Medfield. She was the cherished grandmother of Denise Slane and her husband Robert of Saugus, Andrea Mahoney and her husband James of Andover, Christa Panciocco and her husband John of Walpole, Debra McCauley and her husband William of East Longmeadow, Paul McKechnie, Jr. and his wife Tara of Medfield, Michael McKechnie and his fiancée Jennifer Campbell of Norfolk and great-grandmother of Jaclyn, Madison, Brianna, Caitlin, James, Elizabeth, Mary, and Emily. Rose was the sister of Barbara Balcom of Melrose and the late John and Thomas Joyce, and the aunt of Linda Joyce of Dorchester, Janice Eberhart of Natick, and the late Thomas Joyce and Geoffrey Gerald.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend Rose’s funeral from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park St. (at Natick Common) NATICK on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 9:00 AM to be followed by her Mass of Christian Burial in St. Patrick’s Church, Natick at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow in Dell Park Cemetery, Natick. Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 from 4-7 PM. Those wishing to remember Rose may do so through memorial donations to the Metro West Hospice and Home Health Care, 85 Lincoln St. Framingham, MA 01701 or to the Animal Rescue League – Pine Ridge Animal Center, 55 Anna’s Place at 293 Pine St. Dedham, MA 02026. For directions and online guestbook to leave messages of condolence or remembrances of Rose please visit www.everettfuneral.com