Joyce Audrey Lippold, 83, passed away Thursday, December 29, 2016 at Ashland Farm Assisted Living Community in North Andover, MA.

Joyce was born in Methuen, MA on April 17, 1933, the daughter of the late Mildred and Alvin Lippold.  She was a 1951 graduate of the Edward F. Searles High School and a 1954 graduate of the New England Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Boston, MA.  After graduating from nursing school, she worked her entire life caring for others as a registered nurse.  Joyce was employed as head nurse at New England Baptist for over 30 years and worked at Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL as well as Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington, MA until her retirement.

Joyce was an animal lover and an avid horse enthusiast spending many happy years riding her horse ‘Stars Maverick’ and caring for her beloved dog ‘Quincy’.  She also enjoyed traveling the world to places such as Africa, Ireland, South America, Greece, Italy as well as others.  She had many friends in other countries as well as at home.  Joyce was a member of the Red Hats Society and was an active member of the Free Christian Church in Andover, MA.  Joyce’s interests included working with the developmentally disabled and serving on the Boards of Creative Living in Andover, MA and Fidelity House in Lawrence.  Joyce was a loving caregiver to her sister Mary Anne Lippold for most of her life at home.

Joyce is survived by her brother, Richard A. Lippold and his wife, Marie of Hudson, NH; her sister, Judith A. Paulsen and her husband, John of Lookout Mountain, GA; her sister, Mary Anne Lippold of Methuen, MA; niece, Laurie Padellaro and her husband, Jeff and their family of Plaistow, NH; nephew, Todd Lippold and his wife, Sarah and their family of Seaside, OR; niece, Heidi Szydlo and her family of Woodstock, CT; niece, Rebekah Sparks and her husband, Billy and their family of Chatanooga, TN; niece, Reidun Paulsen, of Chatanooga, TN and many dear friends.  Joyce was pre-deceased by close family friend, and caregiver to Mary Anne, Joanne Robinson of Methuen, MA.  Joyce’s family would like to thank the staff at Ashland Farm, the Compassionate Care Hospice staff and daily caregivers, Yury, Claudia and Dayan for the love and care they showed to Joyce in her final days.  Thank you also to her church family and wonderful friends for their support and visits.

 A visitation will be on Monday, January 2, 2016 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home, 80 Broadway, Methuen, MA.  Funeral Services will be at Free Christian Church, 31 Elm Street, Andover, MA at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 3, with  burial at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Methuen.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Joyce’s memory may be made to The Arc of Greater Haverhill-Newburyport, 57 Wingate Street, Suite 301, Haverhill, MA, 01832 or Free Christian Church, 31 Elm Street, Andover, MA, 01810.  To leave an online condolence, please go to www.dewhirstfuneral.com.

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