Virginia "Gail" Joyce, Surviving Spouse

The MOAA Foundation Board, Scholarship Fund Board

You will not want to miss our dynamic speaker for our March 9 dinner meeting! Gail Joyce is not only a Surviving Spouse but also a Gold Star mother. Her presentation will cover the challenges of being a military spouse and how to deal with later life care and loss of loved ones.

Joyce, who grew up in Abilene, Texas, married Larry Joyce in 1960, beginning a life-long adventure. Shortly after they married, Larry was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army. They moved to Fort Hood, Texas - the first of more than 20 moves over the next 20 years. In that time, Larry served two tours in Vietnam. Joyce's diverse career, from which she retired in 2005 has included being a Realtor, a high school and college English/literature teacher, a national program director for youth tobacco issues, and a bed and breakfast owner.

            In 1983, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in English (cum laude). In 1986, she earned a Master of Arts in humanities. Her volunteer efforts include as surviving spouse liaison and a founding member of MOAA Greater Granbury (Texas) Chapter, and as a Veterans' Council member.

            She has served on the MOAA President’s Surviving Spouse Advisory Council for six years and also co-chair of the MOAA Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter.

            She also conceived and produced the Memorial Day Field of Flags from 2012 to 2020, helped organize Veterans Day ceremonies, and has spoken on behalf of local, state, and national organizations about life in the military and her son and husband's service to their country.

            She is a Gold Star Mother. Her youngest son, Sgt. James Casey Joyce, an Army Ranger, died Oct. 3, 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia; the story of the mission is told in Black Hawk Down.