Joy E. Garrett

Remembering Joy

Family and Friends,

Today, we gather to honor the life of someone who touched us all in profound ways. Joy was many things to many people—wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, therapist, and recently grandmother—but to all she was a constant source of encouragement, support, and love. To her close friends and family, she was often referred to as “Iyanla Vanzant” because of her ability to analyze problems and find relatable solutions.

Joy had a way of making people feel seen and heard. She had this rare gift of knowing exactly what someone needed—whether it was a hug, advice, or encouragement—and though life wasn't always easy for her, she faced every challenge with bravery and dignity.

Even when the world felt overwhelming, she had this way of bringing calm, of reminding us that things would be okay. She saw beauty in places most people overlooked, and she carried a quiet hope that made others believe in brighter tomorrows.

Losing her feels unbearable. But as we stand here, heartbroken, we realize that the love she gave and the memories we all shared with her will never be lost. They are imprinted in our hearts forever.

Though her time with us was far too short, we feel so lucky—so grateful—that so many of us got to walk beside her in this life. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have had a wife, sister, aunt, and friend like Joy, and we all know how blessed we are to have had her in our lives.

Joy was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, and emigrated to the US in 1976 at the age of seven.  Although her childhood in Barbados was a faint memory, she found ways to immerse herself in the culture, spending time engaged with several online groups. Joy loved to travel, but Barbados was the place that gave her the most jubilation; she once said that when she visited, it felt like she was being embraced and welcomed home. In addition to Barbados, she traveled to Dubai with her sisters. She visited the Bahamas and Panama. She cruised the Mediterranean.

Joy graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. While there, she pledged the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Always a great student with an amazing intellectual curiosity, she achieved much success in her career. She held positions such as Agile Transformation Leader for Finance Technology and Senior Vice President with Bank of America, where she worked for 21 years. Prior to her passing, Joy was employed by TTX as a Senior Manager.

Joy lived full. One of the accomplishments she was most proud of was becoming a Triathlete. It is important to note that Joy could not swim when she embarked on this goal. Not only did she complete every triathlon she participated in, but she also went on to become a swim instructor.

Joy’s memory will live on in the hearts of husband Phil; sons Ray and Demetruis; granddaughter Lyric; sisters Marcia, Cheryl, and Debbie; brothers Steve, Joel, and Mark; sixteen nieces and nephews; eleven great nieces and nephews; and a multitude of friends who loved and respected her.

As we say farewell to Joy, we think of what she would have said, and what her last words would have been to all of us: “Remember me not as the shell you now see, just remember me the way I used to be.”