North Oxford, Maine - Joyce Lyma Willard Michalka passed away August 17, 2021, in Oxbow, Maine, in her son's and his wife's home on the farm where she was born 101 years ago, March 10, 1920. She was the daughter of Lyman and Maud (Junkins) Willard.

Joyce grew up in Oxbow and lived there all of her life except for the 6 years she lived in Mapleton with her son, Andrew and his wife, Sue, who lovingly cared for her since 2013. In 2019, she returned to her family farm with them when they retired there. She attended Oxbow Grade School and Masardis High School. In 1936, she married her first husband, Harry Greenlaw Jr., with whom she had two children, Richard and Judith. Following his death, she later married Rudolph Michalka with whom she had four children, Susan, Daniel, Andrew and Timothy. Joyce loved working in her gardens, canoeing and fishing on and swimming in the Aroostook River, bird hunting, traveling to visit family and seeing new places, playing Scrabble, star gazing, picnicking, and eating ice cream and chocolate. Beginning in 1975, she was employed for 11 years by North Maine Woods as a gatekeeper on the Oxbow gate.

She is survived by her six children: Richard Greenlaw and wife, Sue, Judith Estey and husband, Wayne, Susan Bushey and husband, John, Daniel Michalka and companion, Heidi, Andrew Michalka and wife, Sue, and Timothy Michalka and wife, Sue. She is also survived by twelve grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Christine Willard; a grandson, Adam Michalka and both of her husbands.

A graveside service was held at the Willard Family Cemetery on River Road in Oxbow, Monday, August 23, at 3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Oxbow Community Church and the Oxbow Community Center through the Duncan-Graves Funeral Home in Presque Isle, Maine. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at duncan-graves.com.