Joyce Elizabeth Adams Murray, 85, died comfortably at the Gregory Wing in Boothbay Harbor, April 22, 2013, after battling Alzheimer's disease for the past eight years.

Joyce was born in Boothbay on August 30, 1927, the daughter of James Carlton Adams and Victoria (Gove) Adams. She attended Boothbay Harbor High School, graduating in 1945.

After graduation, she attended Farmington State Teachers College and graduated in 1949 with a teaching degree in home economics.

On December 25, 1950, she married Rodney B. Murray of Boothbay Harbor and they had two daughters, Victoria and Janet.

Joyce was employed as a cook for the Boothbay Center School in the early 1950s, making memorable, delicious meals for schoolchildren who still rave about her cooking expertise to this day.

In 1956, Joyce and Rodney purchased Highmeadows Cottage Colony in Boothbay. Joyce ran the business of renting eight cottages seasonally. She was well-known for baking delicious oatmeal bread for her returning customers, family and friends. They sold Highmeadows to the YMCA in 1985 (now the current location of the YMCA Camp Knickerbocker).

Joyce enjoyed cooking and sewing. She loved baking biscuits, especially for her grandson, Adam, and making Cabbage Patch doll clothes for her granddaughter, Megan.

One of her favorite pastimes was reading maps of places traveled and yet untraveled. Her memory for directions was amazing. She and Rodney traveled all over the state to their grandchildren's sporting events, but a very special highlight was when Megan's field hockey team at Foxcroft Academy won the state title in November of 1991.

Joyce was an active member of the Boothbay Harbor Methodist Church for many years, chairing numerous public suppers and working hard on Christmas fairs and bake sales.

In 1993, she received the annual UMW service award pin for tireless devotion to her beloved church.

Joyce was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Rodney, in 2009.

She is survived by daughters Victoria Brackett and her husband Carl of Dover-Foxcroft, and Janet Lincoln of Sarasota, Fla.; two grandchildren, Adam Brackett and wife Beth of Ponte Vedra, Fla., and Megan Brackett Kemp and husband Jeremy of Sangerville; two step-grandsons, Derek and Justin Lincoln of Sarasota, Fla.; four great-grandchildren, Lazar and Gracie Mae Brackett of Ponte Vedra, Fla.; Hunter and Abrielle Kemp of Sangerville; brother-in-law Richard Murray of Winthrop; sister, Judith Pinkham and husband Owen;  and long-time family friend, Stanley “Swing” Lewis, all of Boothbay. She also leaves a niece and three nephews.

The family wishes to thank the staff of the Gregory Wing for their kind and exceptional care. A special thank you to Nichole Peasley.

A celebration of her life will be held this summer at a graveside service for family and friends at Oak Lawn Cemetery, Boothbay Harbor (date and time to be announced). In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter, 170 U.S. Route 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105, or the Boothbay Harbor Methodist Church, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Simmons, Harrington and Hall Funeral Services. You are invited to share your condolences, photos and tributes with the Murray family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.