Joyce Ann (Gould) Romer

Joyce Gould Romer passed away on September 26, 2020 at her home in Carmel.

Joyce was born on May 30, 1935 in Indianapolis to Thomas and Rose (Hantman) Gould. She was a 1953 graduate of Shortridge High School and attended Indiana University.

Joyce married William S. (Billy) Romer on August 13, 1955.  They were married for 65 years and had two children.

Joyce loved teaching 3-year olds at the JCC pre-school and second graders at the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation Sunday school.  She also worked at Billy’s motorcycle dealership, Honda of Indianapolis, demonstrating how to ride the smaller models. For this she became a winning contestant on the TV show, “What’s My Line” in 1966.

Upon retirement, Joyce was involved in a variety of volunteer activities. The Jewish community eagerly anticipated the annual fashion show which she spent hours coordinating each year as a fundraiser for the Hooverwood Guild.  In the 1970’s she was instrumental in helping to resettle Russian-Jewish families in the Russian Resettlement Program. She also volunteered at the Gene Glick Family Support Center and the Hooverwood Gift Shop. She was a long-time member of Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation.

More essential to Joyce’s social nature than her paid and volunteer work were her numerous close friends. These friends were always met with a welcoming smile and often a homemade treat.  She loved entertaining in her home and providing a gourmet meal. Joyce was a good listener and didn’t hesitate to offer suggestions and advice.  She sought out lively discussions on a variety of topics.  She had impeccable taste and was frequently asked to help friends decorate their homes. Joyce cherished her time with friends going to local theater, ballet, museums, movies and restaurants. Joyce was beautiful and classy, thoughtful and generous, lively and funny.

For her family, Joyce was a loving, generous, and beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt. Her greatest passions by far were talking with, talking about, viewing photos of, and spending time with her grandchildren and their children.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, brother and sister.  Joyce is survived by her husband, Billy; daughter, Cynthia; son, Scott; grandsons, Michael (Breanna) and Andrew Heslin; great-grandchildren, Jacob and Natalie Heslin; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to offer heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Joyce’s wonderful and loving caregivers, Malar Stewart, Jody Fritch, Lucinda Woods and Joyce Penick.

A private family graveside service will take place on September 30.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charitable organization of the donor’s choice.