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Obituary: Joyce Ellen Birchenough, 87
Published: February 16, 2026
By: Provided by
Sundquist Funeral Home
Joyce Ellen
Birchenough
 Joyce Ellen Birchenough was born April 9, 1938
to the late Walter and Margaret (Gardner)
Lillie in Watertown.
Joyce graduated from Black
River High School
and started her adult life working as a telephone operator in 1955. She
married John S. Raso, and they had three daughters. John died in an
accident in 1962. She married Patrick A. Birchenough on October 5, 1963
at St. Paul's
Catholic Church, Black River with Rev.
James A. Fix, Pastor, officiating. She then became a stay
at home mother to her children.
After raising her
children, Joyce took a job in 1980, as a cafeteria worker at Black River
Elementary, touching the lives of not only the
students, but the staff until her retirement in 1999, as cafeteria manager.
Joyce loved
tending to her large garden, knit and needlepoint.
She always remembered to send a card for
birthdays, anniversaries and any special occasions to her large extended
family.
Beginning in 2000 Joyce and Pat moved to Barnes Corners for six
months out of the year, and were snowbirds and wintered in Leesburg, FL
for the past 25 years.
Joyce was
predeceased by her first husband, John S. Raso; her grandson, Aaron Greene;
her in-laws, Ossie and Irma Birchenough; her nephew, Jeff Mathys, her
brothers-in-law, Pete White, and Richard and Alan Birchenough.
She is survived
by her husband, Pat, her five children, Brenda Raso of Ohio; Deb (Rick)
Felice of Adams; and Barb (Charlie) Brennan of Massena; Jon (Erin)
Birchenough of Star Lake; and Mike (Missy) Birchenough of Barnes Corners;
her grandchildren, Nick and Scott LesChander, Jerod and Danielle Felice,
Brad and Chris Greene, Dustin Brennan, Katie and Nick Birchenough, and
Hunter Birchenough, and her 16 great grandchildren. She is also survived by
her sisters, Gail (Robert) Mathys of Glenfield; Joanne (Timothy) Perfetto
of Missouri, and her brother, David (Kathy) Lillie of Rochester; her
sisters-in-law, Caryn Birchenough; Jane
(Craig) Dumas; Joyce White; Yvonne (Donald) Burtick; her brothers-in-law,
David (Eileen) Birchenough; and Danny (Joanne) Birchenough.
The Birchenough
family would like to thank Lewis County Hospice and Jefferson County
Hospice for their care and compassion which was
deeply appreciated. Joyce’s family would also like to thank,
Dr. Kenneth Fish, for his care over the past 30
years.
A spring
graveside service will be held in Black River Cemetery
followed by a celebration of life.
Memorials in
Joyce’s name may be made to: Hospice Foundation Of
Jefferson County Inc., 425
Washington Street, Watertown,
NY 13601
or Friends Of Lewis County Hospice, Inc., P.O. Box 266, Lowville,
NY 13367
To share words of
condolence: www.sundquistfh.com
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