Joy Ann DeGrosky

Joy Ann DeGrosky, age 78, of North Fayette Township, Oakdale, PA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 19, 2024, surrounded by family, her buddy “Dudley,” and life-long best friend, Dee. Joy was born on Cliff Mine Road in Imperial, PA, on December 28, 1945, to the late Joseline and George DeGrosky. She was such an unexpected addition to the family that her older siblings, the late Fred DeGrosky and Anna Mae (DeGrosky) Pustover, suggested she be named “Joy” for the joy she brought to the entire family.

Joy graduated from the very first class of Bishop Canevin High School in 1963 and earned a BS degree from Robert Morris College. Joy started her professional career with the Bureau of Alcohol & Tobacco in Washington, DC. Joy then continued her education and became an accountant for the Internal Revenue Service. She had a long, illustrious career with the IRS, enabling her to travel the world and spend many years both learning and shaping the tax codes which she thoroughly enjoyed (understandably the favorite topic of…nobody else). Her career took her to positions based in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Newark, and finally back to Washington, DC, where she retired as the Director of International Taxation Programs. Following retirement, she moved back to the Pittsburgh area, settling just miles from her childhood home in Fayette Farms, Oakdale. She continued in retirement doing what she loved, working for many years during tax season for Imperial Tax & Accounting.

The role that Joy took very seriously and was most proud of, though, was as “Aunt Joy.” She is survived by her sister-in-law, Gisele Aloisio, nieces and nephews, Fredericka “Fritzy” DeGrosky, Michelle DeGrosky, Stephan DeGrosky and wife, Jennifer, Chris Aloisio, Gina (Pustover) Harm and husband, Bob, and Joe Pustover and wife, Tracy, who both helped Aunt Joy immensely as she battled several illnesses late in life.

Aunt Joy was incredibly generous and loving of family and ensured traditions and family bonds remained strong. Having outlived her siblings, Fred DeGrosky (d. 1969), Anna Mae Pustover (d. 1991), and Thelma Yaksic (d. 1999), she became the matriarch of the immediate family and continually shared stories of them to ensure their memories and spirits always remained with her family. She was incredibly proud of the next generation of her loving great nieces and nephews:  Robert Harm and wife, Tiffany, Jonathan and Jeffrey DeGrosky, and Ava and Joseph Pustover. Though true to the generation gap, she insisted on talking, refusing to even own a device that would allow them to communicate via text messages. In doing so, her voice was a valuable and cherished way for her to convey wisdom and life lessons.

Joy also liked reading, was an avid Steelers fan, and acted like the Game Show Network was the only channel her remote control would find. Her family imagines that Joy is already reunited with her favorite cousin, Louise, trying to hit a Royal Flush on Heaven’s slot machines. Joy indeed WAS a joy to all she cherished. She took great care of her family and close friends, and she will be greatly missed.

Family to receive friends on Sunday, September 22, 2024, between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., at HERRICK COMPASSIONATE FUNERAL SERVICE, PC, Edward M. Herrick, Supervisor/Owner, 951 Cliff Mine Road, North Fayette Township, Imperial, PA, 724-695-7332. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, St. Columbkille Church, Imperial, followed by entombment at Resurrection Cemetery, Coraopolis. It is respectfully requested that memorial donations in Joy’s name be made to the American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA, 22116, or the American Cancer Society, P. O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

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