Camellia (Dillon) Joyce

Camellia Joyce passed away on Friday, January 10, 2025, in Catonsville, Maryland, at the age of 81.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Charlestown Senior Living OLOA Chapel on Saturday, January 25th, at 10:30 a.m., followed by a reception at noon.

Born on September 10, 1943, Cam grew up in Martinsville, Virginia. She graduated from Martinsville High School in 1961, where she served as editor of the school newspaper and was a member of the National Honor Society. Later that year, she continued her education by enrolling at Radford University.

She married JB Joyce in Martinsville in 1963. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Education in 1965, she taught elementary school in Blacksburg, Virginia. In 1966, she and her husband moved to Maryland, where they started a family, eventually having four sons. They lived in New Carrollton, Maryland, before moving to Severna Park, Maryland, in 1990. Cam spent her final years with her husband at Charlestown Senior Living in Catonsville, Maryland.

In addition to raising a family, she held various jobs including preschool teacher, substitute teacher, registration clerk at the University of Maryland University Campus (now UMGC), and tour guide in Annapolis, Maryland.

Cam prioritized her family and provided love, compassion, support, and joy to her parents, siblings, husband, children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends. Her kindness also extended to her community involvement, where she volunteered with the New Carrollton Recreation Council and Meals on Wheels.

She enjoyed reading, spending time with family and friends, birdwatching, painting, gardening, and regular trips to see the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Cam cherished traveling with family — to various places across the country — from regular trips to Litchfield Beach, SC to trips to Montana, Washington, Arizona, California, Sanibel Island, FL, and Puerto Rico — and abroad, including trips to Ireland, Sweden, Canada, and an anniversary river cruise in Europe.

Cam will be greatly missed by her husband of 61 years, JB Joyce; her sons Jeffrey Joyce, Keith Joyce, Andrew Joyce, and Bradley Joyce; sister Karen Dillon; brother Stanley Dillon; grandchildren Emily Joyce, Anna Joyce, Patrick Joyce, Elizabeth Joyce, and Norah Joyce; along with her relatives, friends, and neighbors. Cam was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Helen Dillon, her sister Brenda Fastabend, and her brother Phelps Dillon.

Instead of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Habitat for Humanity.