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Joyce Grayson, age 63, died on Saturday, Oct. 28 after going missing while she was performing her duties as a visiting nurse at a residence in the Windham County municipality of Willimantic.
Grayson was reported missing by her family around 2 p.m. on Saturday, prompting Willimantic Police to search the area of Chapman Street. After finding her vehicle, officers tracked her to a nearby residence, where they found her dead in the basement, authorities said.
In a statement, Willimantic Police Chief Paul Hussey said the incident was "one of the worst cases I've seen in 27 years in law enforcement."
In the days since Grayson's death, hundreds of community members have come together to raise over $9,600 for her family through a GoFundMe fundraiser started by Grayson's friend, Jessi Bessette.
"She spent her career as a nurse, but she was not just not their nurse. Joyce went above and beyond for her patients," Bessette wrote on the fundraiser page, adding, "She always went the extra step to make her patients feel loved and cared for. She did not feel like this was just a job."
Born in 1960, Grayson grew up on a dairy farm in Sterling as one of thirteen children. After graduating from Killingly High School, she went on to attend nursing school at Windham Tech and graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse, according to her obituary.
Grayson then began a 26-year career with the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, working at Norwich State Hospital, the Capital Region Mental Health Center, and the Southeastern Mental Health Authority. After retiring from this role, she continued to work as a visiting nurse for Elara Caring for over a decade until her death.
In addition to her work, Grayson and her husband, Ronald Grayson, served as foster parents for the Department of Children and Families for more than two decades.
"She treated her foster children as her own, even when they were with her for a short period of time. She always made each and every child part of her family," her obituary said.
Those who knew Grayson were aware that she had truly fulfilled her life's calling.
"Joyce was a beautiful soul, who dedicated her life to caring for others. She loved her job as a mental health nurse, and it was truly what she was put on this earth to do," her obituary said.
Grayson is survived by Ronald; her six children, Elliott, Kyle, Kaitlyn, Evan, Audrey, and Shawn; her four grandchildren, Claire, Jackson, Mia, and Tilly; and eleven siblings.
A service for Grayson will be held on Friday, Nov. 3 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Tillinghast Funeral Home in Danielson at 433 Main St.
Those wishing to contribute to the GoFundMe page for Grayson's family can do so by clicking here.
More details about the circumstances of Grayson's murder, including the name of the suspect who was arrested at the residence on unrelated charges where she was found dead, have not yet been announced by Willimantic Police.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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