Joyce (Stitham) White Averill
AVERILL, Joyce (Stitham) White, 91, FORESTDALE, MA, PRESQUE ISLE & MARS HILL, ME, May 31, 2013. Burial will take place privately at a later date in Mars Hill, ME.
FORESTDALE, MA, PRESQUE ISLE & MARS HILL, ME – Joyce (Stitham) White Averill, RN, died peacefully on May 31, 2013, at the McCarthy Care Center in Sandwich. She was 91.
Joyce was born in Mars Hill, to parents Charles A. and Barbara A. (O’Brien) Stitham. She graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Lewiston, ME, in 1942 with an R.N. Degree. During World War II, she was one of the first civilian nurses to volunteer to assist the army nurses in reviewing and caring for wounded GIs being flown in to the Army Air Base in Presque Isle. She moved to Weymouth, Mass., in 1952, where she continued to be active in various fields of nursing for 50 years. Joyce was licensed to practice in Maine, Mass., and Conn. She was a former Weymouth Visiting Nurse.
Predeceased by her first husband, Prof. John W. White, Joyce later married Merle S. Averill. After his death, she moved to Forestdale, MA, in 1980. She is survived by two sons, John W. White, Jr. of Somerville, and Boston University Prof., Charles S. White and his wife, Deborah of Rockland; her sister, Rita S. Gavin of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY; five grandchildren, Rebecca, Liz, Abby, Alysun and William; one great-grandchild, Maddy; several nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by two brothers, Dr. Linus Stitham and Charles R. Stitham. She also leaves her friend, March Dupont; and her friend and caregiver, Linda LaRocco.
A special thanks to all the staff of Hope Health and The McCarthy Care Center who cared for Joyce with much love, compassion and friendship.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the McCarthy Care Center of E. Sandwich.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Corpus Christi Parish, 324 Quaker Meeting House Rd., E. Sandwich on Tuesday, June 11, at 10:30 a.m. Burial will take place privately at a later date in Mars Hill, ME.
