Joyce Louise Piper, 92, a longtime resident of Hartland, Vermont passed away on Sunday evening, March 10, 2024 at the Jack Byrne Center surrounded by family and friends.

She was born in Hanover, New Hampshire on April 08, 1931 to Wayne W. Sr. and Marion (Roberts) Wilson and attended School in Woodstock, Vermont.

The oldest of seven, Joyce left home at fourteen and got a job as a maid where she met Kenneth Piper. Together they built a snowmobiling camp in Island Pond, Vermont and were often "tearing up the trails". She was a lifelong New Englander and loved spending time at camp and taking family trips to Maine, often commenting on the "flatlanders", always offering to cook – and when she cooked there was always enough for an army of people, she enjoyed crocheting blankets, and helping others in any way she could. Jo and Ken basically raised her six siblings and couldn't wait to start a family of their own. In May of 1963 they were blessed with their daughter, Marian who meant the world to them. Once Marian grew up, Jo continued to help her family take care of their children, until her grandchildren were born. Her grandchildren were the twinkle in her eye – she thought the world of Joseph & Kendra. After her two grandchildren were more or less self-sufficient she became a surrogate grandmother to all, she insisted on being called "Grammy Jo", even by strangers - she took to babysitting her great nephew and all the neighbors' younger children up until just a few years ago. She was always fiercely independent and was able to remain active right up to her passing – just one month shy of her 93rd birthday! Her sharp wit remained intact as well, and as a result her granddaughter began keeping a list of her unique sayings including such favorites as "fourteen axe handles right across the beam", "ripped him a thyroid", and "he struts around like King Tut in turd alley".

It's easy to be sad about her passing but also easy to be thankful for all she gave to others. She never missed her grandchildren's concerts, graduations or extracurricular activities and quite often told them how proud she was of them.

She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth V. Piper, mother Marion (Roberts) Wilson and father Wayne W. Wilson, Sr.; sisters: Mary (Wilson) Chamberlain of Windsor, VT; Marge (Wilson) Thibodeau of Hartland, VT; Leona (Wilson) LaFountain of Hyde Park, MA; brother: Wayne W. Wilson, Jr. of Woodstock, VT.

She is survived by her daughter Marian (Piper) Comstock and husband David Comstock of Hartland, VT; grandchildren: Joseph Michael Comstock (companion Sandi Louzier) of Hartland, VT, Kendra Michelle Comstock of Boston, MA; two step-sons:  Norman Poutre (wife Jennifer Poutre) of Underhill, VT and their two children: Jacqueline Poutre (husband Matt Beck) of Tampa, FL, Merlin Poutre (companion Tessa Scott) of Bellingham, WA; John D. Piper (wife Virginia Piper) of Tulsa, OK; and their son: Robert Piper and his husband; and granddaughters: Debbie, Donna, Dana and their families; one sister: May E. (Wilson) Pierce of Quechee, VT; one brother Ernest Wilson of Woodstock, VT; many nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and "surrogate grand babies" and families.

A gathering to celebrate the life of "Grammy Jo" will be held at Damon Hall in Hartland, Vermont on Saturday, March 23, 2024 starting at 2pm and will go until 4pm. At Joyce's request a private committal service will be held at the convenience of her family at a later date in the Hartland Village Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to St. Jude Children's Hospital at stjude.org-donate.