NAUGATUCK – Joyce Luzio, 74, wife of Manuel “Manny” Luzio, died peacefully on April 6, 2023, at her home surrounded by her loving family.
Joyce was born on March 7, 1949 in Waterbury, the daughter of the late Bernard Sr. and Doris (Gladding) Ardry, and lived in Naugatuck all of her life. Joyce was a graduate of St. Francis School and a 1967 graduate of Naugatuck High School. She went on to attend the International Academy of Connecticut.
Joyce worked at Uniroyal and retired from Alliant in 2013 after 33 years of service. She was a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Church, where she served as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and secretary of the Pastoral Council and the Liturgy Committee. She was a CCD teacher and director of religious education. In 2017, she was awarded the St. Joseph Medal.
Joyce was a member of the Roaring ’20s Car Club for 27 years. She was also a member of the Naugatuck Women’s Club and the Naugatuck Senior Center, where she enjoyed playing cribbage, Mississippi Marbles and bingo.
She volunteered at many senior center events. She volunteered as a tax preparer for the VITA program at the senior center. She was a member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians and served as Irish Mayor for the Day in 2017.
In addition to Manny, her loving husband of 52 years, left to cherish Joyce’s memory are her children, Rita and Dave Blair, Karyn Luzio, her favorite daughter, Heather Yablonski and her grandsons Jacob and Jordan Blair, all of Naugatuck.
Joyce is also survived by her sisters, Carol Squiers and Diane Dutton; sisters- and brothers-in-law and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Joyce was predeceased by her brother, Bernard Ardry Jr. and her sister, Kathryn Ardry Kauffman.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, April 14, 2023, at 10 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 318 Church St., Naugatuck. Everyone attending is kindly asked to please meet at church. Inurnment will follow in St. James Cemetery Columbarium, Cross Street, Naugatuck. Calling hours are Thursday. April 13, 2023, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Ave., Naugatuck.
In lieu of flowers and to honor Joyce’s memory, donations are requested to St. Francis of Assisi Church, 318 Church St., Naugatuck, CT 06770.
