Joyce Marie Bartlett, 68, passed away unexpectedly Nov. 26, 2021 at Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan. She was born at home in North Whitefield on March 15, 1953, daughter of William E. and Frederica G. Bartlett.
Joyce attended Whitefield Elementary and was a 1972 graduate of Lincoln Academy. In early years, she waitressed at Nelson’s Diner in Windsor, which was owned by her beloved aunt, Margaret Nelson. Later she went on to work at The Dresden Inn and Health-Tex before ending her career journey working for the state of Maine.
Around 1973, she and her best friend and sister, Patricia Bartlett, became roommates. At the time of Joyce’s death, she and Patricia had lived with one another for close to 67 years in total. They could always be found together and were easily recognized for their unfailing friendship, beautiful long hair and often matching outfits. They loved all the same things and as adults were often mistaken for twins.
Joyce had a smile that could light up a room and a signature laugh that was contagious. She was always up for fun and in her younger years enjoyed going out to local dances on Friday nights. She loved to go for long car rides, driving with the windows down and the music turned up singing along to her favorite songs. She was a lifelong fan of country music and a talented artist who enjoyed working with oils, acrylics, pastels, and pencil. Over the years, her work was showcased at local galleries and entered in the Windsor and Union fairs where her talent was recognized with many ribbons. A little later in life, Joyce’s artistic sense led her to a new passion, photography, which took her on the road capturing the things she found most beautiful.
Joyce was especially fond of animals and during her life she loved the various rabbits, dogs, goats, and horses she owned over the years. By far though, her greatest joy and calling in life was horses. She was the epitome of “horse crazy” and spent much of her free time riding horses, watching local horse shows, taking long drives looking for pastures of horses, reading about horses, drawing horses, watching westerns and studying breeds, conformation, tack and training methods. The joy on her face when she was in the presence of horses was unmatched. She enjoyed trail riding and western disciplines. Some notable horses in her life included her childhood pinto pony Prince, her palomino Rebel, her stunning chestnut and white Tennessee Walking Horse named Levi, and Sugar, her palomino filly.
Joyce will be forever cherished and remembered by her sister, best friend and lifelong companion, Patricia Bartlett; sister, Kathy Bartlett; sister, Lori Bartlett, along with companion, Kenneth R. Minoty Sr.; sister, Shirley Bartlett; niece, Amanda (Bartlett) Olson and husband, Andrew Olson; and great-nephews, Jaden Bartlett and Eben Page. She was predeceased by both of her parents, William E. and Frederica G. Bartlett; maternal grandparents, Dana Quinnam and Devinda “Mimi” Quinnam; and paternal grandparents, Samuel Bartlett and Grace Bartlett.
A private “celebration of life” for the family will be held at a later date. Happy memories and stories will hopefully be shared by many.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Joyce’s name may be made to support the horses of the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals at msspa.org, via mail: MSSPA, P.O. Box 10, S. Windham, ME 04082; or to the American Heart Association at heart.org, via mail: P.O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692.
