Joyce D. Drew, 71

BRIDGEWATER — Joyce Darlene (Asher) Drew left her earthly life on March 23, 2024, to enter her glorious heavenly home.  Joyce was born to John and Grace Asher on Sept. 29,1952, at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Great Lakes, Illinois, where her father was stationed in the U.S. Army. She grew up in Woodbury, New Jersey also spending several years in Germany, while her father was stationed there. 

She graduated from Woodbury High School and went on to earn a nursing degree through Presbyterian / University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. It was during these years that she met Christopher Drew, who was a student at then Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Seminary) in Philadelphia and was a student intern/associate pastor at Central Baptist Church in Woodbury, New Jersey. They were married on Aug. 23, 1975, at Central Baptist. They would have celebrated their 49th anniversary this year.

Having been an "army brat," she was quite amiable to living and working in various places. They first lived in Pittsfield, where Chris served the Park Street Baptist Church and the Loudon Center Baptist Church. Joyce became a nurse in pediatrics at Concord Hospital, a position she loved. She then moved to work at Epsom Manor for a time. When Chris was called to South Baptist Church in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Joyce took a hiatus from nursing to be at home with their two daughters, Tosia and Erin. When she did return to work it was as an administrative assistant at the Children’s Museum in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and the Pastoral Care and Counseling Center for the Inter-Church Council of Greater New Bedford.

When Joyce and Chris moved to North Adams, Massachusetts, she took a position as administrative assistant at the United Methodist Church which was across the street from First Baptist Church to which Chris had been called. They went to work together each morning but "went to their separate corners" as they used to say.

Joyce nearly always had some kind of stitching in her hands. Cross-stitch was her passion and she earned several first-place ribbons at the Terryville Country Fair in Terryville, Connecticut, where they lived for many years. When cross-stitch became difficult to see, crocheting and knitting filled her time.

Joyce is survived by her husband Rev. Dr. Christopher Drew of Bridgewater; daughters Tosia Hodge (David) and grandchildren Izzabell and Olyvar, also of Bridgewater, and Erin Drew and companion David Ward of Bristol, Connecticut.  Also surviving are a sister, Jacky Leeds (Steve) of Estelle Manor, New Jersey, and a brother, John Asher Jr. (Joyce) of Columbia, South Carolina, as well as two nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and a sister, Judy.

A celebration of life will take place on May 18 at noon. Friends may call from 11 a.m. to noon prior to the service at the Holderness Community Church in Holderness. For more information go to dupuisfuneralhome.com.