Joyce Theresa Rienzo

Joyce, beloved and cherished wife of Michael Rienzo, passed away on March 11, 2017 at her Boca Raton home surrounded by her loving family.  Joyce, being a cancer survivor since 1989, embraced life and was grateful for the many happy and healthy years God granted her.  Joyce was born in Elizabeth, NJ on September 15, 1937.  Joyce was the second of 4 children and is preceded in death by her brother, Frank and sister Carole.  Joyce married the love of her life, Mike, on December 31, 1961.  They moved to Hazlet, NJ where they raised their three children.  In 1975, they moved to South Florida.  Together as a team, through much hard work and dedication, they were owners of three successful and popular restaurants: Antonio’s in Deerfield Beach, a warm, homey place where you could find Chef Mike and hostess, waitress and cashier Joyce.  Joyce enjoyed having coffee with their loyal customers, unknowingly making many loving, life-long friendships. The second was the Ocean Ranch in Pompano Beach and the third, Fantasy Island in Ft. Lauderdale.

After the restaurant business, Joyce enjoyed a successful career with Campbell & Co. Real Estate in Deerfield Beach.  Retiring for the second time, Joyce and Mike were privileged to spend the next fifteen years traveling the world, taking long cruises and enjoyed many long stays in beautiful places.  Joyce’s most favorite place to visit, calling it her second home, was Sorrento, Italy.  Every year since 1996, no matter where she traveled in Europe she always ended the vacation in Sorrento, and will be sadly missed by the many friends she made there.

Joyce cherished her many roles in life:  wife, mother and especially grandmother and great- grandmother.  She was fondly known as “Gam” and she had a strong, intimate bond of love with each child.  She loved spoiling her grandchildren and she often treated, to what Joyce termed “a journey” which involved many cruises,  trips around the country,  and Europe.   
Joyce had a heart of love and compassion beyond measure, befriended many, and blessed them with her gracious and generous spirit.  Joyce was loved for her humor, fun spirit and love of life.  Strong in her faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, Joyce was a longtime parishioner of St. Jude Catholic Church and a member of the Columbiettes.  Joyce enjoyed attending women’s bible study at Spanish River Church and made many special friends there.

Her memory will be forever cherished by her adoring husband, Mike of 56 years, her three children George (partner Jerry), Renee (husband Jim) and Michael (wife Tina).  She will be greatly missed by her grandchildren, Kelly (husband Mike), Michelle (husband Jordan) and triplets Anthony, Louis and Gina.  Joyce’s great grandchildren, Jesse, Lisa and Madison, will be blessed hearing endearing memories and stories of their beloved Gam.  Joyce is also survived by her sister, Dee Galasso, nieces and nephews.

Visitation is at Glick Funeral Home, 3600 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton on Saturday, March 18th from 11:00am to 4:00pm with a Catholic Service at 3pm.

Mom,

There isn’t enough words or paper to tell you all the things I want to say or to thank you for the life lessons that you taught me.  My compassion and love for others come from watching you care for and give to others so unselfishly my whole life. You always told me that I am too good, but what you didn’t realize is that I learned that from you at a very early age. 

I remember the time you took my favorite dress that was a little short on me and some of my favorite stuffed animals, telling me I had so many I didn’t need all them. I cried and carried on like a typical 6-year-old, but the following weekend would change my tears from sadness to joy.  You took me to your friend Pat’s house and when I got out of the car I saw children playing in the back yard with little or no clothing.  One was a girl about my age.  You handed Pat some bags and we stayed for a while.  On the drive home I asked why the children were not dressed and you explained that they were poor and had very little clothes or toys.  You said that the bags you gave Pat contained food and clothes of mine and my brothers.  You went on to say that I should always look to help others who were in need and that would make her and God very happy. I no longer cried but gladly gave my clothes to Pat’s kids.

I will always remember how special you made me feel when you did unexpected things for me.  The time you took me out of school to go to NY for lunch and tea, and you would bring white gloves for both of us to wear. Or the time we missed school to go to the Circus in NY; when just you and I went to see my favorite skater Peggy Fleming and all my games /school events you came to.  You never missed a thing!

You and dad gave us kids a wonderful childhood and I have so many great memories, like waking up us at night to take us sleigh riding in the front of our house after the first winters snowfall.  The hot chocolate and cider you would have in the carport for all the neighborhood kids on Halloween and all the great costumes you made me.  The hundreds of Easter eggs we would color for the towns Easter egg hunt and the prize baskets you would make.  Picking strawberries, going to the  pumpkin patches, the apple orchards and Sunday morning Breakfasts at IHOP. Teaching me to bake, cook, sew and how could I ever forget you teaching me to dance to “Can’t get enough of your love babe” while you vacuumed! I loved that all our friends said you were the best and everyone wanted to hang out at our house even when we were teens!

Mom you were always EVERYONES advocate and you taught me to stand up for the people I care about and those who can’t stand up for themselves.  You taught me that Family is EVERYTHING and how to find strength and hope in God.  Battling cancer twice I was in awe of your strength and trust in the Lord.

Thank you for always being my advocate, my biggest supporter, my cheerleader and my best friend.  All the things you would tell me you love about me you didn’t realize I have learned from you.  I am grateful to God for giving me the BEST mother and role model a daughter could ever have.  I have absolutely no doubt that you heard God say “Well done my good and faithful servant”

           Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 

I Love you so much mom,

Renee

Today the Angels came to take my mother to heaven.  If I could search the whole world over I wouldn’t find a better mother.  She was so much more than just a mother and grandmother.  Her devotion and dedication to making me become a better man and a better father was truly remarkable.  I will miss her beautiful smile, her wonderful laugh, her voice; but most of all her love.

My children loved and adored their “Gam” and will forever, as will my wife and I, have a deep long crack in our hearts.  But we are comforted with the fact that we were blessed to have had her in our lives and that a part of her lives on in each of us.

Love you mom forever!

Michael

One of my favorite Memories of my mother, and there are quite a few, would be the time when I was very small and we were driving home late one night Dad was behind the wheel, I in the middle and mom to the right of me.  She pulled me close to her with my head resting on her lap.  She held me tight and told me how much she loved me and I felt so protected and loved.  Her strength and warmth just shined through.

Family first and foremost, that goes without saying!  She could be stern, brutally honest and at the same time caring, loving and always sharing her sense of humor. 

I will miss our weekly Starbucks trips, dinner at the Kee Grille, family holidays and gatherings with her amazing cooking, but most of all I will miss calling her everyday just to hear her voice and to tell her I love her.

You will always be in my heart mom,

Love George

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