Obituary of Joyce Wright

Joyce Ann “Kitty” Wright, was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She left this world peacefully on May 23, 2023 at her home in Bay Shore, New York at the age of 72 with her loving daughter, Jasmine by her side.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on February 19th, 1951; Joyce is the daughter of Georgia Ella Heath and Jay Cee Smith. She had 7 siblings: Jay Cee Smith Jr, Eulis Smith, Samuel Bolden, and survived by Anna Allen, Michael Hayes Smith, Eleanor Andrews, and James “Smitty” Smith. She had one daughter, Jasmine, a son-in-law, Randy, three granddaughters: Kayla, Kamyce, and Katirya, and one great-granddaughter, Ka’Niyah Joyce. Joyce is predeceased by her first husband, Howard Tyson and widowed by her late husband, Lawrence Wright.

Growing up in St. Albany’s, Queens, NY, Joyce graduated from Springfield Gardens High School. She then went on to spend over 20 years in the banking industry, finishing her career with Lewis Johs law firm where she met coworkers who became lifelong friends.

Joyce had many passions including music and dancing, especially to her favorite artists Smokey Robinson, Kool & the Gang and the O’Jays. Another passion of hers was shopping, she would spend hours upon hours in stores. No one can outdo Joyce’s closet. She had such an enormous amount of clothes, shoes, jewelry, pocketbooks, etc that she never had to wear the same item twice and best believe she always looked good in anything she wore. She loved to travel and had a joyful spirit. When she needed a little break from the rush of adventure, she loved to do jigsaw puzzles with her granddaughters, Sudoku, and read books, especially those by Stephen King. Joyce was an avid reader, she had a wide collection of books, hundreds of them and always had a book on her to read. A few of her prized possessions she enjoyed were her fine China set and all white living room where everyone came together to have a good time. Just don’t get too close to either one. Her dog Niko is another important piece of her life, along with her love for taking care of her wide variety of plants.

Joyce was the type of person who would do anything and everything for anyone. Although she only had one daughter, her house was home to many. Joyce took in everyone, including her daughter’s friends, nieces, and nephews. Lastly, she adored spending time with the people she loved, such as her daughter Jasmine, best friend Denise, her niece Eunice, her grandchildren, great granddaughter, brothers and sisters, and all of her family and friends. It’s easy to see that she loved living life to the fullest, exploring the world, and being the outgoing person she was.   

Her sudden battle with serious medical issues in recent years showcased her courage and strength to keep fighting. Even as her condition worsened, she was always positive and cheerful when she was around the people she loved. Despite the decline in her physical health, she continued to remain strong and faced life with a smile until the end. Everyone loved her and anyone she was in contact with naturally gravitated towards her. She was the epitome of a beautiful, talented, fiercely strong, independent woman.