Joyce (Garabedian) Bourque, 72, wife of Richard Bourque of North Kingstown, passed away Sunday, December 12th. She lived in Cranston for much of her life before moving to North Kingstown in 2010. She was the daughter of the late John and Jean Garabedian, and the sister of the late John R. Garabedian and Jean Oxley. Joyce was a 1967 graduate of Cranston East High School. She worked for the Family Court for 17 years before health issues forced her retirement. She was devoted to her children and was a loyal “team mom” and manager during the years they were involved in Cranston Youth Hockey League. She also loved learning and earned her undergraduate degree in Family Studies from URI in 1999 and a Masters Degree in Adult Education in 2006. She struggled courageously with kidney disease. After many years on dialysis and on the transplant waiting list, she received a kidney in 2018. Joyce was a bright light who made friends with everyone she met, wherever she went. Her love of theater led her to serve as producer and stage manager for numerous shows at the Firehouse Theater in Newport and also at the Courthouse Center for the Arts in South Kingstown. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Kingston. Her warm-hearted empathy, compassion and sassy humor will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Besides her devoted husband of 44 years, she is survived by her brother Jeffrey Garabedian (Pamela) of Coventry, sister-in-law Linda Garabedian, brother-in-law Martin Oxley, her children, Benjamin Bourque (Charlena Dickerson) of Warwick, Richard “RJ” Bourque (Ashley Gauvin) of Exeter and Aidyn Bourque of Pittsburgh, PA; stepdaughters Michelle Bourque of Warwick and Nicole Bourque of North Kingstown; nine very beloved grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday January 8, 2022 at 11:00am in the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd 383 Old North Road Kingston.