OCEAN PARK – Joyce Kathleen (Whitney) Thompson, 78, of Ocean Park passed away with her family by her side on Dec. 2, 2020, after a battle with Alzheimers. She was born the daughter of the late Mary (Reynolds) Whitney and Nathaniel Ruggles Whitney on Feb. 20, 1942.Joyce grew up in Littleton, Mass., where she was well known and loved and was the prom queen. She had three children, Kim Grindatti (husband Kurt) of Buxton, Lisa Kidd (and wife Deb Dolan) of Old Orchard Beach and T. Jay Thompson (and wife Rosie) of Kaneohe, Hawaii. She was lucky enough to meet and marry the love of her life, Ronald Houle and his sons, Josh Houle (wife Heather) and Zach Houle (wife Katherine) of Keene, N.H., and Wellesley, Mass., and live for 30 years in her beloved Ocean Park.Joyce’s hobbies were love, compassion and healing. When the Dalai Lama was asked – “what is your religion?” he answered -compassion. Joyce lived that religion. Her connection to Ocean Park began 78 years ago and finally made the move here to work at Jackson Brook as a group leader in the alcohol and substance abuse unit in 1989. Joyce had a Masters of Education and Counseling from the University of Massachusetts. She also worked for the University of New England as an Adjunct Faculty Member working with the medical students. Along with those duties she also was the coordinator of a grant to train medical students in alcohol and drug abuse education.In Massachusetts she founded and was executive director of Dial/Self. This was an agency to help troubled youth and families. The core of her work was to help them transition to independent living. Joyce ended her career in Maine by Co-Founding, along with her husband, a alcohol and substance abuse agency called Dayowl Counseling on Water Street in Saco. She retired after 20 years. Joyce leaves her three children and two stepchildren, foster son, John Michonski (wife Anita) and 18 grandchildren who were her stars. When she was ill with Alzheimers, they were her cheerleaders.She helped many people in her personal life and in her professional life as a counselor. You couldn’t walk with Joyce and not have someone come up and tell you that she had saved their life, usually from a drug or alcohol addiction. Many people would recognize Joyce around town from her five mile walks each day, petting every dog and loving on every child she met. Joyce will be met on the other side by her niece, Rani, and her son-in-law, Robert Kidd.The family would like to thank Hospice of Southern Maine for their incredible professionalism, compassion and warmth. Due to the pandemic the family will hold a celebration of life this summer to celebrate her In Ocean Park.“Sometimes the fog is so full I lose my way. Panic sets in. Where am I, who am I. Will I find my myself in all this fog. Will I find my husband, my children. As they suffer, worry, feel helpless over me. Will God lift this veil of fog. Lifting my spirit from my body. I am going home. Home to clean skies, warm winds. Soaring, I find my wings – The universe and its heavens are my home.”
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