Joyce Siqueland Shallis passed away after a long battle with the rare autoimmune disease Inclusion Body Myositis on July 21, in the company of her beloved daughter, Jill Simpson-Owens.

She leaves her loving step-children, Marci Quilici (Jim) of California and their children, Sergio and Marissa, Steve Shallis of Arizona, Chuck Shallis of Hawaii, Mike Shallis (Becci) of California, and her sister-in-law Donna Weller (Dick) of Washington.

A memorial service will be held on August 27, 2017 at 2pm at the Unitarian Society of New Haven, 700 Hartford Turnpike, Hamden, CT. Please share a memory and sign Joyce's guestbook at hawleylincolnmemorial.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to The Myositis Association at http://www.myositis.org/get-involved/donate/memorial-donation.

Joyce was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1938. A graduate of Sullivan high school (1955) and St. Olaf College (1959), she obtained a Master's in Social Work from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). She enjoyed a successful career in Social Work at Bridges Healthcare (formerly Milford Mental Health Clinic), where she made a positive impact on many lives.

Joyce was an avid pianist and singer, starting classical piano lessons with her Aunt Esther at age 3, and accompanying her high school choir in many concerts. She turned her attention to singing, and was accepted into the All Chicago High School Chorus, and the renowned St. Olaf Choir during her college years. She continued singing in classical groups including the Bach Choir in Rochester, New York, the New Haven Chorale, and the choir at her church, the Unitarian Society of New Haven. After turning 60, she switched her focus to jazz, studying jazz piano and vocal ensemble at Neighborhood Music School in New Haven. She sang and played in several small groups including The Stompers, a jazz, blues, and ragtime group, performing at local venues.

After the death of her beloved husband Hunter, Joyce moved to the Whitney Center in Hamden, where she immediately joined the choir, played scrabble weekly with new friends, and established a Monday-night Downton Abby dinner group where friends could talk about the previous night's episode. She maintained friendships from her long time at the Unitarian Society of New Haven and enjoyed visits from them during her recent and final stay at the Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven.

Joyce was a vibrant, loving mother, grandmother, aunt, cat-owner, wife, and friend who could make the best out of any situation, including her own deteriorating health. She loved life and will be greatly missed.