Memorial for Joyce Rawson Black
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Born on Sep. 11, 1925
Departed on Apr. 17, 2008 and resided in , .
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Saturday, May 10, 2008
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Please click on the links above for locations, times, maps, and directions.
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Joyce Rawson Avison Black of Branford, Connecticut passed away April 17, 2008, after a brief illness. She was the widow of Dr. Francis L. Black. She was very generous and loving. She loved to tell stories of her amazing life. She was born in Seoul, Korea on September 11, 1925 to Dr. Douglas and Kathleen Avison. Both her parents and her grandparents, Dr. Oliver and Jennie Avison, were instrumental in the introduction of modern medicine and the founding and growth of Yonsei University. Under Oliver's leadership, Yonsei trained the first native Korean medical doctors. Having played a key role in Korea's transformation from a weak, impoverished nation to a strong independent democracy, Yonsei is, today Korea's leading independent university and health care provider.
After World War II forced Joyce's family to flee Korea, she lived in many places all across Canada, meeting her future husband Frank in British Columbia. After gaining her teaching degree in Vancouver, she supported him through school in Vancouver and at Berkeley. He found a happy professional home on the Yale faculty. They lived in New Haven and West Haven before moving to Branford in 1964.
She was a teacher at New Haven Hebrew Day School from 1964 to 1967 and at The Country School in Madison from 1967-1983. She was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Branford. She enjoyed theater, music concerts, reading, and a full social life.
She is survived by her daughter, Meta Joy Matthews of Westminster, Colorado;; her sons Douglas Avison Black of New Haven and Peter Lee Black of Branford; sisters Helen Crawford of Atlanta, Lera Crewe of Chilliwack, B.C.,; grandchildren Bryce, Eric, & Tracy Matthews; and great-granddaughter Sophie Matthews.
A Memorial Service will be held May 10, 2008, at the First Congregational Church, on the green in Branford at 11:00 A.M. Today, the work of her family is continued by Yonsei through the Avison Scholarship, which brings doctors from places like Iraq and Uzbekistan to Korea for training, as well as providing funding for Korean doctors committed to medical mission work to travel abroad for specialty training. Memorial contributions may be made to United Board: Yonsei Avison Scholarship, 475 Riverside Dr. New York, N.Y. 10115.
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