Joyce Ellen O''Riordan, 91, passed Tuesday, November 15, 2016. She was born in Burslem, England, to the late William and Ada Johnson. Joyce met her future husband, Pat, in a Choir they both sang in. Pat and Joyce shared their passion for music throughout their marriage, beginning in Coventry England, then in Canada and later in Fort Wayne, where they made their home and raised their children. Joyce was very active in the arts and played many lead roles in local theatrical productions. Joyce starred in many operatic productions at the Civic Theater and was the recipient of an Anthony Award. She was a member of the Morning Musical which was a group of musically inclined women who met and performed in each others homes. Joyce was also involved in the Fort Wayne Opera Group in the 1960s. Joyce was also a vocal coach and voice teacher for many of the area singers.
Joyce worked with Eve Queler who was the founder of The Opera Orchestra of New York. Eve worked with Joyce in Fort Wayne and asked her to come to New York where she would have a career as an opera professional. Joyce declined because her family was more important to her.
Joyce had a beautiful voice and started singing at a young age. After her debut in England in her teens, the headlines read "A Star Is Born!"
Joyce had a brilliant mind for music and opera and could tell you the plot of any opera she knew. She always said that she had no trouble remembering words as long as they were accompanied by music!
Joyce was just as eager an audience member and delighted in her annual summer treks to Stratford, Canada with family and friends to see plays at the Stratford Festival.
Among her other talents, Joyce was also a gifted seamstress who made beautiful clothes for herself and her family and friends, for over 50 years!
Joyce was many things to many people, first and foremost a loving wife to her husband of 67 years, Patrick J. O''Riordan; a loving mother to her two children, Patrick and Kerry; her daughter in law, Brenda G. O''Riordan and her late son in law, Daniel L. Scarbrough; a loving grandma to her only granddaughter, Alicia J. Strack and her husband, John Strack; her great grandchildren, Marissa, Madeline and Maddox; and brother, John Johnson, sister in law, Irene Johnson, nephews Matthew and Simon and their families, in Coventry England, and sister in law Lilian Reardon in London, England

Celebration of Joyce''s Life is 3 p.m., Sunday, November 20, 2016 at Covington Funeral Home, 8408 Covington Road, with calling one hour prior. Preferred memorials are to Fort Wayne Ballet, Fort Wayne Philharmonic and SPCA.