Joyce Ellen Bloomfield
August 22, 1952 ~ June 2, 2023
McDonough Southern Cremations & Funerals
Joyce Ellen Bloomfield, age 70, born in Nashville, TN entered into eternal life the morning of June 2, 2023. After fighting cancer for 2 1/2 years with all her strength like the Wonder Woman Warrior she was, she is now sailing on a journey to shores that we cannot see free from pain. In the final days and final moments she was surrounded by her daughter, son-in-law, youngest sister, brother-in-law and her beloved granddoggie by her side.
Joyce loved traveling the world, shopping, boating & fishing, dancing, eating at nice restaurants and getting unconditional love from her granddogs. She named her daughter “Michelle” because of her love for The Beatles and continued to call her “Michelle Ma’Belle” throughout her life. She adored her son-in-law and loved it when he would take her out for boat rides. Her last ride was 13 days before she passed.
She joins her mother, Betty Ellen Brown (1989), her brother, Bill Edwards Brown (2012), and her 2 granddogs Ginger (2021) and Gia (2022), may they all rest in Paradise with eternal love.
She is survived by her daughter Michelle Millage, son-in-law Greg Dela Riva, and Granddog Gracie Heart of McDonough, GA, her father Oliver Brown, sister Teresa Perry, and brother Danny Brown all of Paducah, KY, her sister Vanessa and brother-in-law Chris Norcutt of Kuttawa, KY, 3 nieces and 5 nephews.
Joyce’s career in the medical industry spanned over 27 years and 5 states. After graduating from Murray State University with a Bachelors of Science degree, she started her career as a medical technician at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, KY. From there she was hired by the FDA as an investigator and compliance officer in Chicago, IL. Next, she was a Senior Compliance Consultant for KMI/Parexel in Georgia, then a VP of Quality Compliance for Cardinal Health in Ohio and finished her long career with Merck as an Executive Director (Divisional Quality & Compliance Management) in Pennsylvania. She retired in 2015 but continued to serve on the PDA Board and moved closer to the beach in Ponte Vedra, FL. After 5 years of enjoying the sunny warm beaches on the Florida coast, in June of 2020 she decided to move closer to her daughter and son-in-law in McDonough, GA so she could enjoy more boating life.
A personal family gathering will take place at a later date in Paducah, KY at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, please donate to https://gofund.me/4b3cd505so we can plan a spectacular celebration of life at a beach (her favorite place to be) TBD at a later date.
Written by Betty Ellen Brown:
When Heavens gates are openedAnd the roll is called above,I wonder if they will be there,All the ones I love?
The friends that have gone on before meIn such a sudden way,I wonder if they had the time to say“forgive me Lord” and pray?
I’ll do my best to tell themAbout God and his love,Because I want them there beside meWhen the roll is called above.
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My momma 🥰
Rest in Peace 😇🙏
Momma 06/02/2023
Gia 11/01/2022
Ginger 11/01/2021
My sis. I owe so much to her. She always encouraged me to be more adventurous. Years ago, Joyce invited me to go on a work trip with her to Germany. It took some persuading because I had never been out of the country before but I got my passport and went. During the day, while she worked, I toured various cities and was in heaven. Because of her, I drove on the autobahn by myself. That trip was liberating and I owe that experience and the life changing impact it had on my life to her.
We vacationed together a lot, sometimes just the two of us and sometimes with our other halves. It was always fun and memorable, and I enjoyed some of the best times of my life with her on those trips.
To say I respected my sisters opinion is an understatement. She was my sounding board, many times my inspiration, always my friend. Through the years we spent countless hours on the phone talking about life, we laughed, complained, cried and lived. I will miss those days and her voice on the other end of the line saying “what cha doin”?
Joyce was a true fighter with a capital F! She fought cancer with all her heart and soul. She told me not long ago that she thought there was a reason she was going through the fight. That hopefully she could somehow contribute to research or learning about the disease. I pray that her battle will help in some way to find a cure or better treatments for others fighting cancer.
I can go on and on with a lifetime of memories and there would not be enough room to write it all. My sister was my rock through the best of times and the roughest of times. It’s hard to let go but she deserves peace, free of cancer and free of the restrictions and pain she was living with. So I am happy that she is free.
Some of the following photos are my favorites, some just because they bring happy memories that I hold in my heart, and some that show Joyces true spirit.
Rest in peace sis, until we meet again.
Just a few more photos
My favorite memory of momma Joyce is laughing until we peed our pants. Literally!!! Somehow it always happened. Joyce had the most infectious laugh and always knew how to have a good time. She wasn’t just Michelle’s “mother” I am happy to call her a friend. We had some pretty damn good times and I wish I could have found more of the photos. Another time was when we went wine tasting in Los Olivos with Michelle and Tina -we went to dinner afterwards and while Joyce was getting a photo taken she knocked a very expensive painting off the wall and we all laughed!! No matter what we did there was always laughter. That’s how I will remember my friend, Joyce ❤️ Love you!!
❌⭕️🩷💛💐Love
Michelle and I were friends in middle school in Paducah ky . We found out that ghost busters was playing downtown at the Columbia theater. My
Mom couldn’t take us so your mom sad she would . We all went and loved it! Your mom was so sweet to me. Praying peace and comfort over you Michelle and family.
Love in Christ
Laynie
Sending much love Joyce’s family and friends during this difficult time. May the fond memories with her comfort you now. I worked with Joyce while she was in FDA as an Investigator. She was well respected and extremely knowledgeable and skilled in inspections. Respectfully, Patricia Alcock
Just learned of Joyce’s passing and hope she will now Rest In Peace. I worked with her while at KMI/Parexel and traveled together on many business trips. Even went to a Rolling Stones Concert at Soldier Field in Chicago! I will fondly remember those moments! My condolences to the Family – may you also remember the good times shared with Joyce.
Paul!!!! Yes I remember you 🙂 I actually asked mom about you a few months ago. We were all in Puerto Rico! Good times! Thanks for signing mom’s tribute wall. XO
Joyce was a wonderful colleague. I always loved catching up with her after she left FDA and talking about business but even more so about life. The world will miss her humor, enthusiasm, passion, intellect, strength of character, and fundamental goodness… My sympathies and prayers are with Joyce’s family.
Joyce Bloomfield was one of the sharpest, funniest and most wonderful women I knew and a treasured friend for many years. She was fearless in her approach to life, work, and ultimately her final days. She fought valiantly during her long career for compliance with FDA regulations while working for the Agency, then later as a consultant and again from within the pharmaceutical industry. Through her work, she protected American consumers for years and we should all be grateful for her extraordinary accomplishments.
Some of my favorite memories of her were when we worked together on an important case when in FDA. We worked for long hours and learned very quickly that we were like minded in our opinions and work ethic but we managed to have great fun on the weekends.
Our fun times recurred over and over whenever we got together over the years. I’m attaching a photo of when she came to visit my husband and me when we were living in Maui. We took her to our favorite beach there but when she asked for the location of the nearest restroom, she was quite shocked when I pointed to the ocean! We entered the water together but kept our distance in order to take care of business. I swear from the look on her face this appeared to be the first time Joyce had ever had to pee in the ocean!!
Joyce was a force of nature in everything she did. We shared more than a few tears when she first disclosed her cancer diagnosis. She fought harder than anyone I know for more than two and a half years, undergoing multiple hospitalizations, treatments, procedures and countless blood tests, knowing her condition was fatal but determined to make her remaining time memorable for her and her family. She was grateful that medical treatments gave her two more Christmases, birthdays and so many laughs and hugs with Michelle and Greg. She was a wonderful friend, champion for consumers, an incomparable mother and will be sorely missed by all.