Julia "Joy" Furtado

Newport, RI - Julia (Joy) Furtado, 82, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 24, 2013 at the Village House.Joy was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, on August 1, 1930 she was the daughter of the late George and Margaret (Kilb) Medrick. She grew up with two sisters and a brother and graduated from Morgantown High School - class of 1948.She was the loving wife of 56 years to the late Charles P. Furtado of Newport, RI. Joy and Charlie met at a USO dance in Washington, D.C. in 1952. Charlie saw Joy from afar, asked her to dance and then proceeded to tell her I am going to marry you. Ironically they shared the same birthday and were married on that day August 1st, one year later.Joy worked as a telephone operator in Washington, D.C. before marrying and relocating to Newport, RI. In Newport, she was a member of the Jaycettes, a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader an avid bowler, loved to play cards and was a passionate bingo enthusiast blessed with the gift of Good Luck! Joy loved everything John Wayne, dancing, watching old movies and collecting angels. Second to the love of her family was dining on lobster...anything lobster!! Joy was a stay at home Mom and Mother to so many. There was always a seat at her table for you. She was active in her church and community and later in life worked as a receptionist at the Martin Luther King Center in Newport for 18 years.Joy cherished her family and they were her life. She loved children and was always comfortable with a baby on her lap. Joy was funny, kind generous (often referred to as Juliabelle, Tado and "Nana Joy"). She was strong and feisty, playful and a spitfire kind of lady, an Angel in Charlie's eyes.Julia was one of four siblings, she is the sister of the late Paul Medrick of Euclid, OH, and survived by her two sisters, Margaret Gentry of Jarrell, TX and her son Kevin and wife Jennifer, Elizabeth George of Morgantown, WV and her son Tom and wife Cathy of Georgia and Marge Fatt of West Virginia.Joy is survived by her children, Debbie and her husband Murray Paddon of Langley, BC, Canada, Andrea and her husband Timothy Straus of Middletown, RI, Mark ("my son, my son") Furtado of Cleveland, OH, Joy O'Connor of Burlington, Ont. Canada and Tina Furtado and Henry Reynolds of Portsmouth, RI.Nana is also survived by her grandchildren, Quentin, Kevalyn, Gillianne and Garrett Paddon of Langley, B.C., Alexandra Downes and her husband Pat of Portsmouth, RI, Julia Hoffer and her husband Chad of Middletown, RI, Anna Burnley and her husband Tyler of Newport, RI, Stephanie Buckless and Jeremy Floyd of Cleveland, OH, Eddie Furtado of Willoughby, OH, Margo Smith and her husband Mat of Toronto, Ont., Michael Charles and Charlotte O'Connor of Burlington, Ont., Mary and Margaret Jenkins of Newport, RI.Nana has four great grandchildren, Kayden Floyd, Dottie Burnley, Mason Smith and Maddox "Max" Paddon.Calling hours will be held on Thursday, February 28, 2013, from 4:00-7:00pm in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.Her funeral will be held on Friday, March 1, 2013, at 8:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00am in Jesus Savior Church, Broadway, Newport.Burial will be private.Memorial donations in her memory may be made to the Alzheimers Association, 245 Waterman Street, Suite 306, Providence, RI 02906. Visitation FEB 28. 04:00 PM - 07:00 PM Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway Newport, RI, US, 02840 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com Service MAR 1. 09:00 AM Jesus Savior Church Broadway at Vernon Ave Newport, RI, US, 02840