Joyce DeSimon

Westbrook - Joyce Ann (Scott) DeSimon, 76, died Thursday, September 3, 2020 after a long illness. A loving daughter, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend, Joyce was born in Portland on June 17, 1944, the only child of Frank Scott and Catherine (Joyce) Scott, and grew up in the city primarily on Sewall Street, while spending lots of time at her beloved maternal grandmother's home on Munjoy Hill. She attended St. Joseph's grammar school, where a classmate recalled: "The nuns made her sit in the second chair; they thought she was the second-smartest kid in the class, out of 46. Julie Derry was No. 1." After freshman year at Cathedral High School, she transferred to Deering High School. Joyce left Maine during her junior year, reluctantly moving to Stamford, CT for her father's work, where she graduated from Stamford High School in 1962. She immediately returned to Maine, much to the chagrin of her parents, living for a while in the YWCA in Portland and landing a job at Travelers, the first of her many roles in the insurance business. In 1966, she married (and later divorced) Antonio DeSimon, settling in Cumberland Center and working up until the birth of her first child, Elizabeth, who died in 1967 at six weeks old. After the birth of a son (Scott) and second daughter (Julie), Joyce returned to work, starting part-time at the service counter at Shaw's, and working as a teacher's aide for SAD 51. In 1980 she was hired as an executive assistant at Union Mutual Insurance. It was here that Joyce, like her father Frank, found meaning both in her work and in the sense of camaraderie she felt with her co-workers. She was fortunate to have generous mentors in Steve Center and Elaine Rosen, who, despite Joyce's lack of a college degree, recognized and rewarded her talent and hard work with multiple promotions. She retired--for the first time--in 1999, as a team manager. She spent her newly free days traveling the U.S. and abroad, volunteering with the Center for Grieving Children, taking care of her first grandchild, as well as gardening and entertaining at the home she was so proud of on Mackworth Street. In 2004, she returned to work at Disability RMS. A loyal co-worker, mentor, and more-than-occasional happy hour attendee, Joyce continued to work part-time up until her second and "for real" retirement in 2014. She also continued to entertain (and be entertained), cherishing her time talking and laughing with family and old friends as much as possible. She is predeceased by her daughter Elizabeth. She is survived by her children, Scott DeSimon of Brooklyn and Julie Rosenthal of Cumberland; daughter-in-law Christine Egan, son-in-law Daniel Rosenthal, four beloved grandchildren, Benjamin, Anna, Agostino, and Lou; her most cherished cousin Ann Marie Albert of Scarborough, and several lifelong friends. Due to current circumstances, all services will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home of Portland. To express condolences and participate in Joyce's online tribute, please visit: www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.