Joy Lucette Goodwin, 64, of Wolcott, Connecticut ended her battle with brain cancer (Glioblastoma Multiforme) on Thursday, June 13, 2024. To the very end she was resilient and tenacious – and fought this battle tirelessly. After her diagnosis in February of 2022, Joy was given a life expectancy of fourteen months – which she significantly outlived. The bravery, grace, and yes – joy – she displayed in this fight is an inspiration to all who knew her.

Joy was born to loving parents, Carl and Lucette Borzencki, in her hometown of Naugatuck, Connecticut. She was the loving sister of one brother, Jaszu Borzencki. Though she had a challenging upbringing, Joy did not let that stop her from developing into an amazing woman. She graduated from Naugatuck High School in 1977, and then Magna Cum Laude from Fairfield University in 1981, where she majored in sociology and minored in psychology. When she was twenty-one years old, she met Mark Goodwin. The two fell in love right away and were married about six months later on February 11, 1982.

As a young adult, Joy became a believer in Jesus Christ. She was a faithful member in her church and served in many different areas – the nursery, cleaning the facility, and blessing others with her beautiful singing voice in the choir, just to name a few. If you knew Joy in her adult years, you know it was impossible to separate Joy’s faith from who she was.

Joy dedicated over thirty years of her life to being a stay-at-home mom. She homeschooled all four of her children and worked hard to instill in them good values and a love for the Lord. She took an interest in every area of their lives – even up to the very end of hers.

Joy loved God and others with all that she was. She was the first to admit she was not perfect, but in her later years she spent many hours going through the program Adult Children of Alcoholics with her brother Jaszu. This hard work she did to heal and grow really helped her step into the woman we know and love. Joy was a beloved mother and wife who loved well, even to the day that she left this earth.

Joy cared deeply for her family and made it a point to attend every family gathering, even later in her life. While she could still cook, she would bring something to every holiday and was always offering to help in any way she could. Even when encouraged to relax, she preferred to sit in a dining chair in the kitchen. These are only a few ways she portrayed her servant’s heart to her family. One family favorite often requested at family gatherings and birthdays was her homemade mac ‘n’ cheese. In their adult years, some of her kids even would compete on whose version was the best. She instilled in her children a love for cooking and hospitality in sharing food with loved ones.

Joy was preceded in death by her mother, Lucette Borzencki, and then by her father Carl Borzencki. She is survived by her loving husband Mark Goodwin; her four children— (Joshua) Mark Goodwin (Hillary) of Fort Kent, Maine; David Goodwin and Timothy Goodwin of Bristol, Connecticut; and Rebecca (Goodwin) Frost (Jonathan) of Livermore Falls, Maine; her brother Jaszu Borzencki of Joseph, Oregon; her sister-in-law Jeanine Goodwin of Cutchogue, New York; and her five grandchildren.

A celebration of Joy’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 29, at Bridge Community Church in Bristol, Connecticut. Guests are invited to attend a luncheon reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider a donation to the Glioblastoma Research Organization. For more information, visit their website: gbmresearch.org. Together, may we find a cure.  

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