Obituary of Joyce A. Sweetland

Joyce A. Sweetland, 80 of Appleton, went to her Lord and Savior on February 16, 2017 at Tall Pines. Joyce was born the second child of Elmer and Hattie (Esancy) Davis. She was educated thru primary schools in Montville and graduated from Liberty High School, and also received her CNA from Waldo County Vocational School. Growing up Joyce loved to attend to her brother Roland and dancing with Chet where she once won a trip to New York. She met her love and life partner, Paul E Sweetland Sr., and married him on February 27th 1954. They raised seven children on the family farm: Phillip, Karen, Charlie, Paul Jr, Elmer, Brenda and Elizabeth. Joyce was active thru her life with the Odd Fellows Lodge of Appleton thru her husband Paul and the Rebekah’s where they received a lifetime achievement award for their work with Camp NEOFA as well her time and dedication to the Burketville Grange and her service to the Liberty AMVETS. Joyce loved to read - she would spend many hours at the Appleton and Searsmont libraries. Joyce could always be found either with knitting needles in hand or a good book, that is until her grandchildren and great grandchildren came along at which time she passed her love of reading on to them. Joyce loved to knit mittens for family and friends for the holidays. She also had a vast knowledge of NASCAR and attended her very first race in Loudon, New Hampshire in 2001. After getting her diploma, she went to work for many years at Waldo Shoe in Belfast. Additionally she would volunteer as a ballot collect for the town of Appleton during election time. In her later years she was customer service associate at Hannaford’s in Belfast until her retirement in 2009. While working, she would spend a lot of time with great grandchildren teaching them how to read and to learn as she was always full of new things to teach them. For fun, Joyce could be found driving with her sister Charlene or playing cards with her husband Paul and Bill and Lucile Gorham or dancing at the 10-4 Diner with her husband and Barbara and Charlie Jewell. She would take weekend getaways with Marion Hanscome on a whim and spend many Grange nights with good friend Lili. After the passing of her husband in 1998, she was able to keep living on the family homestead due to the assistance of family, her grandchildren, and her special grand son in law Stevie Gilman. Joyce is predeceased by her parents, her brother Roland Davis, her daughter Karen E Winchenbach, son in law Robert Edgecombe, and her husband of 44 years, Paul E Sweetland Sr. She is survived by her children, Phillip and Loretta Sweetland of Appleton, Charles and Melody Sweetland of Montville, Paul Jr. and Katie Sweetland of Searsmont, Elmer Sweetland Sr. of Searsmont, Brenda and Bo Spaulding of Montville, Elizabeth Carter and Paul Winchenbach of Richmond, and son in law Gene Winchenbach of Appleton. Joyce is also survived by her grandchildren Tonya, Lisa, Larry Jr, Heidi, Gene, Chris, Tammy, Timmy, Paul III, James, Mary Meg, Elmer Jr, Ricki, Ben, Roberta, Joyce, Hattie, Bo James, Chico and Marie. She also is survived by 38 great grandchildren and 7 great great-grandchildren. Funeral services are under the arrangement of Riposta Funeral Home in Belfast where A celebration of life will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday February 22, 2017 at Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Avenue, Belfast with a catered reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Joyce’s name to the Appleton Village Library, Mildred Stevens Williams Library, 2916 Sennebec Rd., Appleton, Maine 04862. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.ripostafh.com.