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Joyce F. Seely, 86, went to be with the Lord on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, with her son, daughter, and her Winds family surrounding her with love at The Winds at Mattern Orchard, where she had been lovingly cared for since 2022.
Joyce was born in Enid, Okla., on Feb. 1, 1940, to Elsie and James Firestone.
She joined her sister, Joanne, and spent her high school years in Illinois.
She graduated from Tuscola High School in 1958. Her parents then moved to Longmont, Col., where Joyce still has family today. She attended nursing school at Memphis Baptist Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., graduating in 1961. It was there that she began to develop her strong sense of fairness and activism as she witnessed the Civil Rights battles firsthand. Those experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to fairness and strengthened her desire to help others.
After graduating from nursing school, Joyce returned to her family in Colorado and enrolled at the University of Colorado. Inspired by her experiences in the South, she considered pursuing a degree in journalism. Ultimately, she remained true to her caring nature and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Colorado in 1964. More importantly, it was there that she met her future husband, John Seely, while they were both students.
Joyce and John married in November 1964 and moved to Idaho for a year for John's job. In 1965, they settled in Hollidaysburg, where Joyce became an integral part of the Seely family and the Hollidaysburg community. It was there that they raised their two children.
Joyce was a homemaker while her children were young and worked hard to instill kindness and fairness in them. She had a creative spirit and was known to make her own furniture from foraged tree limbs, pour concrete on very large leaves to make birdbaths and tole paint and sketch. She encouraged her children to be kind by creating a "kindness badge" that they could earn. Their home was always filled with friends, and there was always room at the table for one more, where everyone was respected. They welcomed foreign exchange students into their home as well.
Joyce's nursing career included teaching at the Altoona School of Nursing in the 1960s. After raising her children, she returned to nursing through the Home Nursing Agency in the 1980s, where she was brought in as the Hospice Director. She was extremely proud to develop the first Medicare-certified hospice in Blair County. She was passionate about helping people die with dignity and supporting their families. In 1996, she received the agency's prestigious Commitment to Community Award.
After retiring from the agency, Joyce continued working with the Altoona Vo-Tech School as a nursing educator, teaching skills to nurse aides.
Throughout her life in Hollidaysburg, Joyce was involved in many community organizations, where she and John made many lifelong friends. Early on, she served on the boards of the Hollidaysburg YMCA and the Presbyterian Village. She served as president of the American Association of University Women. She also formed many wonderful friendships through the Hollidaysburg Women's Club, where she organized the first house tour as fundraising chairperson. Those friendships sustained her to the end.
Joyce was an active member of Ward Avenue Presbyterian Church, where she served as a deacon. She could often be found preparing lessons and activities for the Sunday school class she taught for many years. Shaping the faith of others was important to her, and she formed many cherished friendships through the church as well.
After retirement, Joyce volunteered at the Presbyterian Home and became quite skilled at calling those Bingo numbers.
But all of these accomplishments pale in comparison to the pride and love Joyce had for her family. She took yearly trips with her kids to visit relatives in Colorado, usually by train. There were many fun Christmases spent making stocking "bags" there so Santa had somewhere for those stockings that didn't fit in suitcases. Family time was important to her.
Her son, John Jr., and his wife, Juanita, gave her two grandsons, Cayden and Nick Seely. Joyce became a board member of ARC of Blair County in support of her son's family. She and John Sr. especially loved having dinners with them.
Her daughter, Elisa, and her husband, Bill, gave her four grandsons: Hunter, Liam, Evan and Aidan McCarthy. If you were around Joyce for any length of time, you were sure to hear about them.
Joyce is survived by her children, John Jr. (Juanita) of Avon Lake, Ohio, and Elisa McCarthy (Bill) of Fabius, New York; her six grandsons, Cayden and Nick Seely and Hunter, Liam, Aidan and Evan McCarthy; great-niece, Stephanie Holladay, and family; great-nephew, Chris Robbie, and family; and nephew, Brad Seely, and family.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband of 54 years, John Seely Sr.; her sister, Joanne Macy; her niece, Roberta Lozinski; and her nephew, Robbie Macy.
Friends will be received for a viewing from 10 a.m. to noon before the service on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, at The Good Funeral Home Inc., Alto-Reste Park, Altoona. All are welcome to attend. The service will also be streamed online through a link on her online obituary. Please contact family members or the funeral home for the password.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to the "Resident Fund" for the residents of The Winds. Donations may be used for activity materials or any other resident need.
Joyce spent her life making sure that people in nursing care felt seen, valued and loved. Supporting the residents of The Winds is a fitting way to honor her life and the compassion she showed to others. Please make checks out to Joyce Seely with "resident fund" in the memo, and mailed to The Good Funeral Home in Altoona.
Joyce will be deeply missed by her family, friends and the many people whose lives she touched. Her legacy of kindness, fairness, compassion, faith and service will live on in all who knew and loved her.