Max William Joyce, 76, C.P.A., proud father, elicit secret keeper, king of his yard, master of the grill, golfer, skeptic, unofficial Puerto Vallarta tour advisor, navigator to the cheapest gas station, keeper of the mile marker, Elks Club member (and rib cook-off winner 2009), donut adventurer, self-critic, inventor, doting grandfather, prankster and friend to all, ducked out for one final errand from which he will not return, on June 10, 2024 in Jefferson City, Mo.
The youngest son of Mary and Glenn Joyce, Max was born in Carthage, Mo. on October 14, 1947. He spent his childhood years wreaking havoc with his older brothers in Carthage, Mo. where he amassed his knowledge of inventing and building things in his father’s shop.
For the rest of his life these skills would be used for both good and evil, but most certainly to accomplish a given project in the most complicated way possible. Max graduated from Carthage Senior High in 1965 and matriculated to Arizona State University which he attended for his Freshman, Junior, and Senior years, with a brief detour his sophomore year to University of Arkansas to be closer to his mother. After realizing that proximity did not make him actually visit his mother, he returned to Arizona. During his college years he proudly became a Sigma Nu and in his spare time studied and became an accountant/CPA.
Max graduated from ASU in 1970 and immediately took a job with the Missouri State Auditor’s Office in Jefferson City, Mo. He joined the Elks Lodge that same year. Max was later working as an Insurance Examiner when he was re-introduced to Charlotte (Holly) Joyce, who he first met attending a ballroom dance class at Ermine Clinton School of Dance in sixth grade. In his words, Holly “saw fit to recognize [his] good qualities and overlook the more obvious other qualities” and agreed to marry him in July of 1974.
In 1976 Max returned to the State Auditor’s Office where he would work until his retirement in 2000. He was called a pioneer in introducing computer technology at the State Auditor’s Office. He shopped for and helped to implement the use of the first computers, which isn’t surprising when you consider his interest in always knowing a better way to get things done.
During his years parenting young children, Max was a frustrated home math tutor, perpetually explaining to his children that he had a much EASIER way to do this. Likewise, a proofreading class he took during his tenure at the State Auditor’s Office caused intense rewrites of almost every essay or paper - his red pen was more brutal than any teacher, and he despised the past perfect subjunctive. Max was sympathetic to nightmares and wet beds.
When his children were teens, he quietly slipped them Tylenol for hangovers and expressed genuine concern for their missteps, even when the cops were involved. Max excelled at retirement for nearly 25 years. During this time he golfed, shot pool at the Elks Club (where he is forever The Champion of the Free World), was head usher at Grace Episcopal Church, smoked meat with enthusiasm, and drove his wife completely crazy.
Never wanting to travel outside of the United States due to an irrational fear of jetlag, Max developed a surprising affection for visiting Puerto Vallarta where he made watching the sunset each night a required sport. He penned and spiral bound a travel manual of the most important PV travel tips to share with friends and minor acquaintances. Max took the time to innovate important technologies, such as building a rib smoker out of a free file cabinet. He enjoyed visiting his adult children’s homes and endeavoring to fix any perceived problem, spending most of his visit at a local hardware store.
During retirement he found his way back to dance, took lessons with Holly, and sought out live bands to practice their line and ballroom dancing skills. After years of retirement, he could not only cook the perfect steak and shake a mean martini (with blue cheese stuffed olives), he could even find his way around the laundry room.
Max’s presence will most especially be missed at his frequent haunts: the Eastside Gerbes, the post office, Jefferson Bank, The Elks Club, the second pew from the front, stage right, at Grace Episcopal Church, Lowes, and any meat counter in Jefferson City where he could judge the thickness of the cut of their ribeye or find a discounted rack of ribs. The hummingbirds at his screened-in porch feeder fear that without him recording their yearly return date, they may find the feeder dry next season and his years-long battle with moles and the drainage-grate-flipping groundhog have ended. The backyard deer wonder who will send their photo to his grandchildren.
Max is survived by his beloved dance partner, travel mate, ignored advisor, porch companion, and wife of 50 years, Charlotte H.D. Joyce of Jefferson City, Mo.; his three adored and impossibly perfect children, Claire Joyce of Syracuse, N.Y., Glenn Joyce (Danielle) of Phoenix, Ariz., and Amanda Joyce (Danny Greif) of Phoenix, Ariz. who were constantly told by their father: “If you are having too much fun, you should probably stop what you are doing.” A lesson they are all still struggling to take to heart.
He has seven grandchildren whom he found even more brilliant and amusing than his own children: Ramona and Willa Johnson of Syracuse, N.Y., Layla, Max, and Cora Joyce of Phoenix, Ariz., Wrigley and Brooks Greif of Phoenix, Ariz.; his two older, wiser, brothers, Neal Joyce (Maureen) of Danvers, Mass., and Keith Joyce (Barbara Dodd-Joyce) of Van Buren, Arkansas; brother-in-law, Garvin Dunaway (Charlotte) and sister-in-law, Helen Marie Dunaway Haughey (Jeff) all of Tulsa, Okla.; as well as many fond nieces and nephews.
Max was predeceased by his parents, Glenn and Mary Joyce of Carthage, Mo. and by his parent-in-laws, Frank and Mary Helen Dunaway, also of Carthage, Mo. I can assure you that if he were here to edit this obituary, it would be half as long.
A memorial for Max Joyce will be held at Grace Episcopal Church on Saturday, July 27 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Elks Lodge #513 Scholarship Fund, 901 Ellis Blvd., Jefferson City, MO 65101 or Grace Episcopal Church Youth Programs, 217 Adams St., Jefferson City, MO 65101.
