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Former Conneaut resident, Joyce Palagyi Maenpaa, 86, of Oxford, Mississippi, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, at home with her husband by her side. She was born on May 16, 1934, to her loving parents, Frank and Caroline Palagyi, in Conneaut, Ohio. While attending Conneaut High School, from which she graduated in 1952, she met the love of her life, Richard Maenpaa. After earning an accounting degree from Miami University (Ohio) they married on a snowy Dec. 29, 1956. They were married for 63 years.
In 1965, Joyce left the ice and snow of the north with her family and moved to sunny Wauchula, Florida. She was an inspiring junior high math teacher for 28 years before retiring. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society for women educators.
While Richard was the love of her life, her first love was the piano. She was an accomplished pianist and organist. She played the organ for over 50 years for St. Michael Catholic Church in Wauchula. She was a long-serving member of the Wauchula Wednesday Musicale. In her later years, Joyce delighted in accompanying her fourteen-year-old granddaughter, who plays the violin.
A lifelong Roman Catholic, Joyce served others through the Catholic Church. She was past president of the Venice Diocese Council of Catholic Women (VDCCW) as well as being a member and officer of the parish CCW. As a church ministry, she joyfully shared her talents for knitting by making baby blankets and caps for newborns. She was always giving beautiful gifts of her needlecraft arts. Thursday mornings were reserved for her knitting group at the Hardee County Public Library.
Joyce loved her family. Nothing made her happier than spending time with her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. Her family knew they could always count on her for a hug and a kiss as well as her wisdom from a life well lived.
The couple loved to travel and visit other countries. They took each of their four grandsons on a trip anywhere they wanted to go in Europe. Joyce and Richard saw the pyramids of Egypt, and Joyce once rode on a camel in the Gobi Desert of China. They always wanted to continue to learn and grow by exploring new places and meeting new people.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother, Edward Palagyi.
Survivors are her husband, Richard; one son, Tim (Margarita) of Grayson, Georgia; one daughter Lori Culp (Rick) of Tupelo, Mississippi; five grandchildren, Stephen Maenpaa of Statesboro, Georgia, Michael Maenpaa (Michelle) of Seattle, Washington, Richmond Culp of Fredonia, Arizona, Ryan Culp (Clara) of Shreveport, Louisiana, and Hannah Ruth Culp of Tupelo, Mississippi; and three great-grandchildren, Sawyer Maenpaa, Rose Culp, and Bryce Maenpaa.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, October 20, 2020 at St. Francis Cabrini Church, 744 Mill St., Conneaut, OH, with Father Philip Miller officiating. Graveside service will follow in Center Cemetery. With the current COVID-19 Pandemic, masks are mandatory and social distancing will be observed.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until 10:45 A.M. on Tuesday at the Marcy Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 208 Liberty St., Conneaut, which is honored to be entrusted with arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to St. Michael Outreach Center, with Music Fund written on the memo line, 408 Heard Bridge Rd. Wauchula, FL 33873 or Wauchula Wednesday Musicale, P.O. Box 1418, Wauchula FL 33873. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home and at the church.
Sign the guestbook at www.marcyfuneralhome.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joyce M. (Palagyi) Maenpaa, please visit our floral store.
St. Michael Outreach Center
408 Heard Bridge Rd., Wauchula FL 33873
Wauchula Wednesday Musicale
PO Box 1418, Wauchula FL 33873