Joyce Ann Pyle

Joyce Ann (Rice) Pyle, 81, of Ruby Street, Lancaster, PA, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 30, 2017 at home. Born in Bart Township, Lancaster County, to Kathryn Thelma Mendenhall and Paul Leslie Rice she attended and graduated from Solanco High School. Joyce married her high school sweetheart, Edward A. Pyle, in 1954 and the two nurtured a loving marriage until his death in January 2013. Joyce and Ed raised three children: Gary Edward, John Robert and Amy Marie. Joyce worked as a stay-at-home Mom while raising her children. She and Ed moved to Palmyra, PA, in 1977 to open a family business, E.A. Pyle & Co. Joyce helped manage the family business until accepting a position as a nurse’s aide in 1987 at the former Lebanon Valley Brethren Home. She loved caring for the residents in the Alzheimer’s Unit until she retired in 2005. Joyce loved all types of handwork including crochet, cross stitch, needlepoint sewing and quilting. She loved to cook and somehow always had enough food on hand to feed anyone who happened to visit her home. She cherished her family especially her sisters, Janice and Jean, and enjoyed spending time with them, eating and chatting, until her last days. Joyce danced through life. As a child she dreamed of dancing on the stage. As a young woman, in the 1950’s she took dance lessons with Ed at Arthur Murray Studios in Lancaster. She and Ed danced together at weddings, parties and reunions and in the kitchen, living room or back porch of their home. In the last months of her life she enjoyed listening to music especially Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Joyce’s tender touch, great sense of humor and generosity, will be missed by all who knew her. She is survived by two sisters, Janice Retrossa and Jean, wife of Raymond Hart; three children, Gary Edward Pyle, John Robert Pyle, husband of Brenda Pyle, and Amy Marie Pyle Crystle; eight grandsons, and five great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a brother, Dale Rice. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Joyce’s Funeral Service at The Groff Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 528 W. Orange Street, (corner of W. Orange & Pine Streets), Lancaster, PA on Monday, November 13, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Douglas M. Hileman officiating. Interment at Grand View Memorial Park, Annville, PA. The family will receive friends at Groff’s from 10:00 a.m. until time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Kindred Hospice, 4660 Trindle Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011 or Gretna Theatre, P.O. Box 578, Mount Gretna, PA 17064-0578.