Kay Joyce Gee

Kay Louise Joyce Gee - A Celebration of Life

Kay Louise Joyce was born March 5, 1954 to Jack and Virginia Joyce in San Bernardino, CA, where she also grew up with her sisters Ellen and Gayle and brother Sean. Growing up, Kay loved being outdoors - riding horses, playing tennis, roller skating, and swimming. Her kids heard many stories of hijinks, adventures, and antics on the epic road and camping trips she took with the Joyce family, which she continued as an adult with friends and family. 

A sensitive and empathetic artist at heart, Kay appreciated both musicals (Camelot, Sound of Music, The King and I) and popular artists of the 60’s and 70’s (Carole King, Neil Diamond, Joan Baez, James Taylor, CSNY, and the rock operas like Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy, and Hair). An avid reader, she owned the complete Nancy Drew mystery series, and later became a fan of science fiction and fantasy genres (she was particularly fond of Ray Bradbury and Rod Serling). Her passion for stories and writing was cemented early in her life; Kay consistently wrote short stories, poems, and letters to her grandparents, even though they lived down the street, and to pen pal friends. She wrote for the school newspaper and was a member of the journalism class. As a young adult, she was already noted for her strength and willingness to accept challenges, being a good friend to all, and her trust and loyalty. She was quick to laugh and always wore a smile; she could be counted on to make light of a tough situation and persevere when others gave up (like taking on polio - and winning). It’s no wonder Harry Potter was a favorite story she shared with her children. 

She graduated from University of California, Irvine with a BA in English in 1977, where she had met her college sweetheart and future husband Kelvin Gee. They moved to Davis, CA, where she obtained her teaching credential from CalState Sacramento while also managing a Del Taco, and then the Bounty seafood restaurant - further demonstrating her epic level multi-tasking skills. After marrying Kelvin in a Southern California ceremony in 1980, they moved to Tucson, AZ, where her first kids, Marion and Andrew were born in 1982 and 1984 respectively. Timothy, the baby and youngest son, followed in 1990 after Kay and Kelvin returned to California. 

After a 33-year teaching career (with a break to raise Tim) as a middle school English and History teacher, mainly at Rancho Middle School in Irvine, CA, she retired at age 65. One of her proudest moments was being named Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2005 for the Irvine Unified School District. She was so ecstatic about this honor, she wrote a poem about it. As a teacher she wrote continuously as part of her own classroom practice and curriculum and instruction development. To this day, she gets loving notes and emails from students thanking Kay for her passionate commitment to her students in cultivating their skills and passions through unique and experiential curriculum. 

She enjoyed sewing and knitting growing up and continued these pursuits avidly as an adult. A crafty quilter, unabashed nerd (Star Trek and Lord of the Rings to name a few), and regular Words with Friends player, she loved to teach, travel, and spend time with her family. Prolific in her writing, she wrote more than 100 poems, short stories, and novels (Children of Hibernia to name one), including a published story “Drowned Rice,” and a self-published photo essay on California’s Bodie ghost town with original poems and musings. 

In 2002, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer that accumulates in the bone marrow and crowds out healthy blood cells. After almost 20 years of fighting this cancer with an endless barrage of infusions, surgeries, treatments, hospital stays, and doctor’s visits, she recognized it was time to go and wanted to leave on her terms. She shared her love and precious memories with her close family before passing on Thursday October 7. One of her parting words was sharing her love for her family and friends and encouraging us all to live life to the fullest. She was 67 years old.  

She had a profound impact on many people - students, fellow teachers, friends, family. All of us, including her husband Kelvin; children Marion, Andrew, and Tim; daughters-in-law Catherine and Kelsey; grandchildren Miles and Virginia; and fur grandbabies Éomer and Muppet, will sorely miss her robust laugh and wicked sense of humor; her love of stories, writing, and reading; her staunch and unwavering support for anyone in her orbit; her mix of strength and vulnerability; and her seemingly limitless generosity that often took the form of thoughtful gifts - from quilts to books to funny t-shirts to 3 boxes full of blank cards for all occasions she always had something ready to show how much she loved and admired you.

Here she is in her own words.

“Who I am”

By Kay Joyce

March 1971

The way I feel is the way I think,

For both are inseparable

As the sweet candy clinched tightly

In the hands of a young, greedy child. 

I can only act upon 

What I feel is just, fair

As the situation appears

Before me at the time. 

I am not a computer

Of which the right button

Brings forth the proper response.

I am human, and importantly,

A woman of feelings and convictions. 

That person is sensitive and affectionate

Albeit with a spiked tongue

At the ready to lash out

When I feel threatened or wounded. 

I am what I am.

I ask only to be accepted

As the person I have become, 

Although even that does change over time,

And not as others would

Wish me to be. 

I exist to exist…

To feel...to experience…

To record these feelings…

To live...to love…

How to share your love and support

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Kay's name to the following non-profits who inspire reading, support artists, provide access to food, and defend our rights - all things she deeply cared about:

• Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project - https://anvfarm.org/donate/ 
• The Center for Cultural Power - https://www.culturalpower.org/donate 
• Feed America - https://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action 
• ACLU - https://www.aclu.org/

An invite-only celebration of life will be forthcoming but we encourage you to share your photos and stories on this page to honor our incredible and beloved teacher, writer, wife, mother, and friend. We will be sure to bring those memories into the celebration.