Joyce Johannesen Hamilton

Joyce Johannesen Hamilton, 103, of Lakeridge, passed away peacefully Monday, 13 March 2023, at Westminster at Lake Ridge, Woodbridge, Virginia.

Joyce was born December 4, 1919, in Erwin, South Dakota to Martin Johannesen and Cora Mae (Schanck) Johannesen. She attended Erwin Consolidated School and graduated in 1937, Valedictorian of a graduating class of 15 students. She attended Nettleton Commercial College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, graduating in 1938. Joyce worked as Executive Secretary for the Director of US Employment Service in Aberdeen, South Dakota throughout the World War II years.

Joyce married Charles Samuel Hamilton (a US Army Staff Sargent during World War II running troop trains from Chicago to Los Angeles whose route included South Dakota), on April 14, 1946 in Carbondale, Illinois. Charles was an opera singer and actor who performed in Memphis, Tennessee, Chicago, Illinois, and New York City, New York. New York City became the mecca for Joyce and Charles. Charles became a senior Systems Analyst for IBM, and Joyce was a homemaker, and later an Executive Secretary at Xerox in Stamford, Connecticut. They lived in Brooklyn, New York, Levittown, New York, Teaneck, New Jersey, Norwalk, Connecticut and Goshen, Connecticut throughout their 55 year marriage. Joyce remained in Goshen, Connecticut following Charles’ death in 2001 until July of 2014, when she moved to Westminster at Lake Ridge, in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Joyce had many passions: gardening, music, theatre, opera, New York City nightlife, sports, fishing, bridge, and travel. The UCONN Women’s Basketball teams, the New York Yankees, and the Chicago Bulls NBA teams were favorites. She loved Tammy the family dog, and the great grand-dogs Archie McPhee Burton, Wolfie, Beastie, Mookie, Maggie, Skye, Kimba and great grand-cats Henry, Cody and Bella. She was a firm but loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Joyce is survived by son Charles S. Hamilton II, daughter-in-law Debra Whitehead Hamilton, son-in-law Michael Jay Hambro, grandchildren Susan Hambro Burton, Michael Brian Burton, Karen Ellen Hambro, James Arthur Spence, Charles S. Hamilton III, Kristin Buckstad Hamilton, Michael David Hamilton, Christina Marie Hamilton, and great grandchildren Ashby Hambro Burton, Oliver Elliott Burton, David Hoyle Hamilton and Jamie Larae Hamilton, as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Dorothy Anderson Wittrock, Emaline Kussman, Shirley Crist Macrander, Catherine Kellar Currier, husband Charles Samuel Hamilton, and daughter Patricia Susan Hamilton.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday 17 March, 2023, at the Potomac Room, Westminster at Lake Ridge, 12191 Clipper Drive, Woodbridge, Virginia 22192.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to American Cancer Society or American Diabetes Association.

To share a story or memory of Joyce, please visit www.meredithfh.com