Kristen Marie Joyce

Kristen Marie Joyce, 50, passed away in the afternoon on Monday, May 9th.   Kristen was born in Lexington, Kentucky to Martin Joseph Joyce Jr. and Sara Elizabeth Marshall Joyce on March 16, 1972.  Kristen lived in Lexington her entire life and graduated from Lafayette High School in 1992.   Kristen was a beloved mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend and she will be missed dearly.  Her kind heart and broad smile lit up any room she entered.   Kristen’s resolve and fighting spirit was unmatched and strong throughout her life and was an inspiration to all who knew her.

Kristen loved fiercely and her son Michael Landon Burchett was the greatest pride and joy in her life. She loved watching him play all the sports that he tried over the years.  She spent many a summer’s day at the baseball field, and many an hour at the basketball courts as she cheered him on.  She was always on the sidelines for Friday Night football at George Rogers Clark High School where her father was a coach and later at Henry Clay High School also for her son as he played for his grandfather.  Kristen was so proud to see Michael graduate in 2021 will always be his biggest fan.

She loved spending time with family playing games and spending time around the holidays. An avid University of Kentucky fan, you could always find her sporting UK gear and cheering on her beloved Wildcats football and basketball teams to victory.  She often gave her nephews grief about their college sport team choices.  Kristen would follow players that grew out of teams her father coached or UK football and cheer for them and their team in the NFL.   Kristen was an avid lover of all things penguin.  When not wearing UK gear in the winter, she often donned shirts with cute penguins and she had quite a collection of Christmas penguin ornaments adorning her tree. 

Left to cherish her memory are her son Michael Landon Burchett and her parents Martin Joseph Joyce Jr. and Sara Elizabeth Marshall Joyce of Lexington, KY; her brother Martin J Joyce III, sister-in-law Debbie Joyce and nephews Matthew Joyce and Brendan Joyce of Lewis Center, OH.  She is also survived by cousins and extended family throughout Kentucky and Delaware and her pets Max and Baby. 

The family will observe a private ceremony and has requested expressions of sympathy be made in the form of donations to the Shriner's Children's Hospital.  To share a remembrance of Kristen or to offer condolences to her family, please sign the online guestbook at milwardfuneral.com.