Today we remember Mary Joyce Brown (known as Joyce) who was born on 6 February 1919

Joyce was the older child of Denis (Dinny) Lutge and Margret Shaunghnessy.  Joyce was born on 6 February 1919 at Mosman.  Dinny and Margaret married in 1917 following the death of Margaret's first husband, Frederick Walkley in 1913.

Frederick and Margaret had two children - Margaret Anne (1906 to 1979) born in Balmain and Marie Ivy (1906 to 1978) born in Mosman.  Dinny and Margaret had a son, Denis James, who was born on 11 November 1920 and died 11 days later.

Margaret died on 11 April 1926 and the death was registered at Darlinghurst.  Joyce was just 7 years old when her mother died!  Dinny died on 18 February 1953 when Joyce was 34.

Joyce married Victor Leslie Kelly in 1940 in Mosman.  They had one child, Denis John, known as John about 1942.  Victor enlisted in the Second World War and died in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp on 12 September 1944.  This is the only photo I have of Joyce with Victor from the Australian War Memorial collection.


After Victor's tragic death, Joyce lived with Sidney Clarence Nelson (1908 to 1951) and they had two sons.  

Joyce then lived with James Henry (Harry) Brown (abt 1908 to 1967) and they had two sons.  

Joyce was survived by all five of her sons.  Her oldest son, Denis John (John) was raised by his aunt, Margaret O'Donovan (nee Walkley).

On 7 February 2003, Joyce died at Camden.  Just seven months later, her oldest son died.

Please add any memories of photos of Joyce.


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