Joyce M. Orland

Joyce M. Orland (nee Joyce Garbe), 86, of Berwyn passed away peacefully on Tuesday September 15, 2026.

Joyce was a long-time resident of Berwyn where she worked, loved and lived life to the fullest. Joyce devoted herself to the people and community she loved. Joyce was blessed to share many wonderful years with the love of her life, the late Ted Orland, whom she built a life filled with love, family, friends, and cherished memories.

Joyce was born at Loretta Hospital in Chicago and was adopted into a loving family by Edward and Lillian Garbe. Joyce attended Goodwin Grammar School where she graduated as valedictorian and J. Sterling Morton East where she was ranked 39 out of 1000 students in her graduating class. At Morton East she was the editor of the Mortonian Weekly, sang Aeolian choir all 4 years and was a class officer for 3 years. One of the joys of her adult years was serving on the reunion committees for the many get togethers of the proud class of 1958.

Joyce attended DePauw University and then transferred to the University of Illinois where she was the President of the Lincoln Avenue Residence. It was the largest resident dorm in the United States at the time. She graduated in 1962 with high honors and distinction in the curriculum.

On a blind date to Riverview in 1961, she met Ted. After her 2nd date she told her Mom, “I’m going to marry that man.” And, she did on January 26, 1963.

Joyce taught 8th Grade everything - even girls PE which is hard for those of you who know her to imagine - in Maywood District 89 for 6 years.

She became a stay-at-home Mom welcoming David Michael (Charlotte Kaiser) and Jennifer Beth (Anthony Paoletti). She became a substitute teacher for 3 years in District 100 and a full-time teacher at Pershing School for 18 years until her retirement. She loved her Pershing years and Pershing kids and they loved her back. She taught Modern World, World History, American History, and the U.S. Constitution (her favorite). She especially enjoyed teaching her student to take pride in and responsibility for our country. Her former students continued to email her long after she retired on every Election Day to let her know that they had voted.

Throughout her life, Joyce modeled this behavior by being an active contributing member of her community and outspoken advocate for good government and women’s rights.

She had been on the board of the All Berwyn Committee for 40 years and served as its President. While her children were young, she was active in the PTA, again serving as President. She especially loved singing in her children’s grade school musical extravaganzas.

Joyce had been a board member and President of the Morton Scholarship League for over 60 years. She was proud of the League’s work, which provided monetary awards to Morton students who needed financial help during their high school years.

Joyce was a loyal member of the Methodist Church and its organist for over 60 years starting when she was just 13 years old. Up until her passing, she was on the church’s leadership council. She was baptized, confirmed, and married there as well. Both of her children were baptized and confirmed. Her daughter Jennifer was married there and two of her grandsons were also baptized there. Her church was a continuing rock of strength and stability in her life.

In 1981 Joyce received one of the real blessings of her life, becoming a sister in Chapter AV, PEO. She was an officer (including President - see a pattern here?) in sisterhood which she cherished. Being an only child made her even more appreciative of her caring, wonderful, PEO sisters.

Joyce loved to read, sing, to take road trips with Ted. She loved to eat out with her girlfriends, to keep in touch with friends from all walks of life, and drink margaritas. She was a card sender and letter writer. She was a news and political junkie and a born leader.

Mostly, Joyce adored spending time in real time and FaceTime with her late husband Ted (61 years) - her son David, his wife Charlotte and their children Noah and Brooke and her daughter Jennifer and her husband Anthony and their sons Dominic and Christopher. Her pride and devotion to her family was evident to all who knew her.

To quote from one of her favorite Books - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - “look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: thus is your time on earth filled with glory.” She will be missed by all whose lives she touched. When you sing a note of harmony or cast a vote, know that she looking down and smiling at you.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Morton Scholarship or Woodside United Methodist Church. Donations can be mailed directly to Morton Scholarship League c/o Kevin O’Halloran at 400 Village Circle, Unit 211, Willow Springs, IL 60480 or Woodside Methodist Church at 82 Woodside Road, Riverside, IL 60546.

Information about Joyce’s memorial service will be forthcoming. 

Arrangements entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options in Schiller Park, Illinois.