Dr. Joyce Coffey Heller ~ September 29, 1930 – January 14, 2017



It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Dr. Joyce Coffey Heller, who died peacefully at her home in Delray Beach FL the morning of January 14, 2017 from complications of a stroke.


Joyce grew up in the Weequahic section of Newark, NJ and as a high-school drum majorette, served as inspiration for classmate and later author Philip Roth’s character Alice Dembosky, the lead drum majorette portrayed in his classic book Portnoy’s Complaint.


A professional career woman well ahead of her times, Joyce held a bachelor’s degree (Syracuse), Master’s degree (NYU) as well as a Doctorate (Columbia). As a Speech Pathologist, Audiologist and Clinical Psychologist with a specialty in cranio-facial birth defects and a sub-specialty in pediatric and adult cleft palate disorders, Dr. Heller was affiliated with Kean University, Farleigh Dickinson University’s and The Albert Einstein School of Medicine at Montefiore Hospital. For many years, Dr. Heller additionally shared a private practice, Speech-Language Associates with Dr. Audrey Schulman.


Dr. Heller was professionally active in the America Speech & Hearing Association and the NJ Speech & Hearing Association and chaired several Association Committees, including the State & Federal Licensure Committees as well as leading several Association International delegations.



The life lessons that Joyce shared with her children, friends, students and patients included eternal optimism, tenacity & perseverance, that one could be successful at whatever one applied themselves to, and how to tenaciously focus on achieving one’s goals. She took great interest and much pleasure in being a mentor to other women.



Joyce especially enjoyed entertaining friends & family, cooking, baking, playing tennis, bridge, the theatre and the opera. She loved to travel the world and religiously read the Sunday NY Times cover-to-cover.



Joyce was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in her later life, which she continued to live with great dignity and grace. With the help of her fulltime caregiver, unfailingly loyal companion and dear friend Sharon Reimeke, she continued to enjoy life to the fullest through her last days. In her final years, Joyce taught us many enduring life lessons, including trust, patience, humility, the value of listening and most importantly the precious lesson of how to live in the moment. She was a strong and beautiful woman who will be missed greatly by many.



Dr. Heller was predeceased by her Husband, Joseph L. Heller 23 years ago, and is survived by a Sister, Carole Coffey Schwartz of Phoenix, AZ, a daughter, Patti Heller Roberts, of West Orange, NJ and Boca Raton, FL and a son, Scott Coffey Heller of Newfane VT, two sons-in-law Barry Roberts and David King, two Granddaughters Ali Feldman and Cari Robert as well as 2 Great-Grandchildren, Jack and Emma Feldman.



Contributions may be made in memory of Dr. Joyce Heller to Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation 5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florid
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