Joyce Karhu Wells

Joyce Karhu Wells, beloved wife of the late Stan Wells and loving companion of Tom Service, died December 6, 2022, after a long struggle with heart disease. She was 75 years old.

Joyce was born in Quincy to the late Toivo and Mabel Karhu.  She is survived by her beloved brother Paul Karhu and his wife Marcia of Dennis, her nephews Ken and George Matsumato of Florida and California, and nieces Mio and Kyoko Takenaka of Massachusetts and California. Joyce will also be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by many extended family members and friends – in particular, the students she lovingly taught for more than 40 years.

Joyce graduated from Quincy High School and Northeastern University. Upon receiving her bachelor’s degree, she taught for four years in Philadelphia and then returned to Massachusetts for the rest of her career in the Quincy Public School System. She enjoyed teaching the most at the Snug Harbor Elementary School where she taught fifth grade for over 35 years.

Joyce was an avid animal lover and supported many rescue organizations including the New England Wildlife Center.  She was a talented photographer and had a natural eye for photography.  She always had her camera or phone with her and could always find the best photo.

Joyce loved Massachusetts.  While she always enjoyed Boston and the South and North Shores, she undertook a project to visit all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth from Gosnold to Goshen. She completed this exploration and could find something special everywhere.  She particularly loved Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket which she visited many times every year. Joyce loved to travel and was always eager to visit new places. She had a particular fondness for the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, Santorini, the Cotswolds and Zermatt.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visiting hours on Tuesday January 10th, 2023  from 2 – 6 PM at McDonald Keohane Funeral Home, at 809 Main St. (Rt. 18 opp. South Shore Hospital), South Weymouth.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Joyce may be made to the Quincy Retired Teachers Association, 34 Coddington Street, Quincy, MA 021696, The New England Wildlife Center, 500 Columbian St. South Weymouth, MA 02190, or the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, P.O. Box 414238, Boston, MA 02241.