Parents of Anthony Joyce release tribute – Oxford

The parents of Anthony Joyce, who died following an incident on 27 June, which has resulted in the conviction of John Joyce for manslaughter, have released the following tribute.

“Anthony was only 33-years-old when his life was so cruelly cut short.

“Life as we know it will never be the same again and this tribute is proof that deaths of loved ones can give a life-long impact of complete and utter sadness and devastation.

“Anthony was the second eldest of a family of seven children and besides being grateful for all of our children, we are thankful for the treasure trove of memories that we have in our life with Anthony.

“He was a son, a husband, a father, a brother, an uncle and a friend, and most of all, Anthony was loved.

“Anthony loved family gatherings and we loved it when family travelled over from Ireland or he travelled to Ireland, because family meant everything to him.

Anthony Joyce with his parents

 

“Anthony became a daddy two years’ ago after 12 years of marriage, and it was the proudest day of his life to have his very own little girl that he could watch over and protect, and rear her to become the young woman she will do.

“Sadly, she will never know how kind-hearted and considerate, caring and funny her loving daddy truly was.

“All she will know is what Anthony’s family tell her, and that’s the saddest part.

“We are faced with so many memories that it is hard to pick just one. It’s just impossible to put into words how much Anthony meant, and still means to us.

“The grief is so overwhelming that any parent who has lost a child will understand.

“We think of him each and every day and we will remember him each and every day.

“We are facing our first Christmas without him, and we know the heartache that awaits as we gather around our table with an empty chair full of memories.

“Anthony was a character in his own right and he loved life and always aimed for peace, because he never held a grudge.

“Since 27 June, life has been very harsh, and we know there will be days of utter sadness, but we know some day, we may laugh again when we remember some of his jokes and shenanigans.

“We know that there will come a point when we will be able to look back at our lifetime of memories with him and smile.

“May you rest in eternal peace Anthony, forever and always in our hearts.”

KB