Joyce A. Switzer

Joyce A. Switzer, of Lewiston, NY, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 10, 2025, at the age of 97, in the Schoellkopf Health Care Center in Niagara Falls, NY. A lifelong Western New Yorker with a heart for education and community, Joyce lived a life marked by quiet dedication, intellectual curiosity, and enduring kindness.

Born on April 30, 1928, in Niagara Falls, NY, Joyce was the beloved daughter of the late Charles A. and Marion (née Miller) Switzer. She graduated from LaSalle High School in 1946 and earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Lake Erie College in 1950. Her passion for teaching led her across the country to Palo Alto, CA, where she taught at the Castillejo School for four years before returning home to Western New York. She continued her career at Elmwood Franklin School in Buffalo, where she inspired young minds for 26 years, followed by a decade of service as a substitute teacher in the Lewiston-Porter School District.

In retirement, Joyce remained deeply engaged in her community. She volunteered with the St. Francis Guild and at Mount St. Mary’s Gift Shop and was an active member of the Friends of the Lewiston Library and its Book Club. A former member of the Lewiston Historical Society, she cherished local history and the written word. Affectionately known as AJ, she enjoyed spending summers at her cottage in Canada, on Lake Kamaniskeg in Ontario, where she challenged young family members to spelling bees.

Joyce was predeceased by her siblings: Charles A. (late Martha) Switzer, Elizabeth “Jean” (late Paul) Beatty, Muriel (late Buck) Bauer, Edward Switzer, and the late Mildred Switzer. She is lovingly remembered by her many nieces and nephews, a sister-in-law and extended family, who will miss her gentle spirit, thoughtful presence, and unwavering support.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to HARDISON FUNERAL HOMES, INC., 401 Ridge Street, Lewiston, NY. A service celebrating Joyce’s life will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lewiston, with details to be announced in the spring of 2026. Interment will be in Riverdale Cemetery, Lewiston.

In honor of Joyce’s lifelong love of learning and community, memorial contributions may be made to the Lewiston Free Library or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Please share condolences may be shared at HARDISONFUNERALHOMES.com.