Dottie Joyner, age 79, a resident of Wheaton, IL, passed away surrounded by family on Tuesday, October 3, 2017, at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL. She was born April 5, 1938 in Montpelier, VT.

After spending her early years in Vermont, Dottie grew up in Florida and Georgia, attending Emory University for one year and Georgia State for another two with the goal of becoming a marine biologist. But after meeting her future husband Dick Joyner on a blind date, the course of her life changed, and she became a devoted wife and mother, grandmother, and a collector of heartfelt friends. Always up for a card game and a cocktail, she was truly the beloved matriarch of our family.

She is survived by her four children, Kathy (David) Hughes of Newark, IL, Wade Joyner of Wheaton, IL, Rory (Tod) McMahan of Englewood, CO, and Shannan (Brent) Kiger of Plainfield, IL; eleven grandchildren, Rebecca, Gregory, Joseph, Stirling, Julia, Josie, Darcy, Milcha, Hunter, Ariadne and Teagan; one sister, Ellen; one brother, Paul; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Richard; her parents; one sister, Mimi; and one brother, Solon.

Interment will be held on Monday, October 9, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery , 20953 W. Hoff Road, Elwood, IL.  A Send Off Open House will take place later that day at Stella's at Fox Bowl, 1101 Butterfield Road, Wheaton, IL, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Feel free to join the family in wearing Cubs attire or polka dots to these events in honor of Dottie.

Memorial gifts may be directed to The Newberry Library Annual Fund https://go.newberry.org/donate/online-donation or to Science Buddies https://www.sciencebuddies.org/about/how-to-donate