Joyce MacKinnon Hansel, 83, died on October 21, 2024. Joyce was the proud and loving mother to Cynthia (Michael), Jennifer, and David, and grandmother to Alyssa, Michaela, Jack, and Parker. She was devoted to her husband of 57 years, Arthur S. (Steve) Hansel, who predeceased her in August.
Joyce was born on December 5, 1940, in Providence, Rhode Island, to Archie and Florence (Selwood) MacKinnon and grew up in Taunton with her parents and three sisters. The family enjoyed a summer home in Pocasset, which provided many memories of fishing, peanut hunts, cribbage, Clegg’s ice cream, field day events, and backyard evenings with the large extended family of sisters, husbands, cousins, friends, and children.
Joyce studied nursing at Deaconess and Northeastern University, where she also pursued her MBA. She met Steve while he was briefly stationed at Fort Devens with the Army. They had their first date at Jenny’s in the North End, and when he was transferred to Germany, she took a position at Landstuhl Medical Center to continue their courtship. Joyce and Steve married in 1967 and lived in Seattle, where they began their family with Cynthia, Jennifer, and an Old English Sheepdog, Sadie. They then moved to San Jose, California, before settling in Concord in 1975. David arrived the following year, making their family complete. (Molly, a Golden Retriever, joined several years later.)
Joyce worked in the ICU at Emerson Hospital and then at a private healthcare management firm until her retirement. Emerson always had a special place in Joyce’s heart and she returned to volunteer in the gift shop for many years. Her family is very thankful for the excellent care both she and Steve received there.
Joyce was a strong, independent, and very funny woman. She modeled balancing a professional career with being a dedicated, loving mother. She loved both flower and vegetable gardening and was a superior cook. She was also extremely creative. She made Halloween costumes for her children (which her grandchildren also wore), knitted personalized Christmas stockings that are still used every year, refinished furniture, and loved needlepoint with several examples of her beautiful work adorning her home. When her kids were young, she was active at Heritage Swim Club, where she played tennis and loved watching her children compete. In her later years, she took up golf at Concord Country Club. She also loved watching her grandchildren cheer, ski, play football, soccer, and baseball, and compete in equestrian. She was extremely proud of her family.
Joyce and Steve were active patrons of 51 Walden Theater with a close group of Concord friends whom they loved dearly. In addition to her heartbroken children and grandchildren, Joyce leaves her three sisters, Jean (Skip) Mollineaux, Shirley Hagen, and Arlene Keegan, and her nieces and nephews and their children whom she loved very much.
Family and friends are invited to remember and honor Joyce and Steve during visiting hours from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday, October 28, 2024, at the Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap Street. Combined services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 29, at Trinitarian Congregational Church, 54 Walden Street, followed by a private burial at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Friends and family are invited to join a celebration of life reception at 1 p.m. at Concord Country Club, 246 Old Road to Nine Acre Corner.
Arrangements are under the care of Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap Street. Condolences may be left at concordfuneral.com.
