Joyce Arlene Chamis

Joyce Arlene (Byloff) Chamis of East Hampton CT beloved wife of deceased Raymond Chamis passed away peacefully with her family early Saturday morning November 7, 2020.  She was born January 29, 1932 to the late Russell Byloff and Estelle (Spencer) Crowell.  As a child she lived in Cromwell, Higganum, Middletown and then East Hampton for 66+ years.

 Before her retirement, she worked as a Home Maker to help those in need, a caregiver to a very special family friend Carolyn Fisher, drove school buses for Nichols Bus Service, waitressed at Hathaway Inn, sold tickets at East Hampton Movie Theater and was a bank teller and assistant manager at Liberty Bank for many years.   

 Joyce was a parishioner of East Hampton Congregational Church and the Marlborough Congregational Church, was very active as a Brownie, Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader.  She along with a very good friend – Les Braren – took the Girl Scouts hiking and camping through the Adirondack mountains and Nantucket where Joyce really enjoyed everything nature had to offer.  She was a member and past president auxiliary and past district president for many years of the Fowler-Dix-Park VFW 5095 Lady’s Auxiliary of East Hampton.  She played bells/chimes at the Marlborough Congregational Church as well as the East Hampton Senior Center where they gave many performances throughout the area at various senior and convalescent facilities.  Joyce also participated in dance recitals, church plays where she sang, danced and acted.   She loved to sing and play the piano and always made sure there was music in the house.  She participated in church choirs and as a teenager auditioned for Sage-Allen’s Teen-Star Time talent show where Desi Arnaz was the guest celebrity.  Joyce learned Reiki – a Japanese form of alternative medicine – and went to nearby hospitals to administer the healing.  She learned to ski with Ray in her early 30’s and loved Stowe Bound Lodge in Stowe VT, camping, hiking, biking, swimming, boating and traveling the US.  She enjoyed working on many different crafts, embroidery and crochet.  Joyce had a “green thumb” with indoor plants and loved working outside in her garden.  She was an avid reader of mystery stories, loved to watch figure skating, “Murder She Wrote” and outer space sci-fi shows, National Geographic shows related to animals.  Joyce loved her indoor and outdoor pets which included cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pig, parakeet, chickens and rabbits.  She loved playing setback card game with family, sister/brother-in-laws and neighbors.  Joyce loved family holiday gatherings – egg coloring at Easter, parades and barbeques during the summer, Thanksgiving dinners and she especially treasured Christmas Eve with the family.  And everyone knew she would always make the family’s famous “Gramma’s mac and cheese”.  

As an only child, Joyce loved big families and her wish came true when she married Ray who had 10 siblings and 2 cousins living in the same house.  Joyce loved her family and wanted a dozen kids.  With 3 children of her own, 5 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren she exceeded her “dozen” kids.  She was a very loving and caring daughter, wife, mother, Gramma, “GG”, friend and neighbor who was always there to help.

 Joyce leaves behind her son Michael Chamis of East Hampton, daughter and son-in-law Laurie and Tom Allen of East Hampton, son and Daughter-in-law Doug and Susan Chamis of The Villages, FL, grandchildren Jaime Chamis Geuser of East Hampton, Heather Allen-Twiss of East Hampton, Naomi Chamis Landry of Meridian, ID, Cassie Chamis of Kissimmee, FL, great grandchildren Brandon Allen-Twiss, Collin Twiss, Jacob Allen, Caleb Allen, Zoey Allen, Alex Geuser, Kaitlen Geuser, Elodie Landry and Aeris Landry.  She leaves many brother/sisters-in-law, numerous nieces and nephews, a special cousin Ruthann Kiley of Higganum, Peter Fisher and family, many friends/neighbors.

Joyce was predeceased by her parents, step mother Frances Byloff, step father Charles Crowell, husband Raymond Chamis, grandson Christopher Allen, former daughter in-law Bonnie Chamis and several brother/sisters-in-law.

A very, very, very special thank you to the Hospice aides and nurses and her primary caregiver daughter/friend Laurie, granddaughter Heather and great granddaughter Kait…….  who comforted Joyce throughout her illness.  Per the family’s wishes there will be a Celebration of Life at a later date.  Donation/memorial contributions can be made to Middlesex Health and Hospice. 

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