Joyce (Freeman) Long

Joyce Long (Nee Freeman, Forrest, Caly) (92) passed away peacefully in her sleep in Phoenixville, PA on February 26th, 2025. Joy was born in Leeds, England. She was a loving daughter to the late Stanley and Gladys Freeman and dear sister to her late brother David. In her 20s, she travelled to America to live in New Canaan CT, with her late first husband, Richard P. Forrest. They were blessed with 2 loving sons, Stephen and Richard. She was a devoted Navy mom and wrote countless letters and sent many batches of her famous shortbread to her boys while they were stationed overseas. Several years later, Richard and Joy divorced and she moved to Wilmington, Delaware. Fate led her to meet her next devoted husband, Cleon Caly. Cleon and Joy were both born overseas, lived in Leeds during the same time period, and shared a love of arts and music. Cleon had relocated from Greece to study at Leeds University and they frequented the same dance halls, yet their paths did not cross until they met in Wilmington. They married and later were thrilled to welcome a baby girl, Sophia, to the family. They were fortunate enough to travel through Europe together over the years and spend many visits with his family in Athens, Greece.

A few years later they moved to Princeton Jct. NJ and shared many happy decades together and then grew a successful business in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, Cleon developed cancer and was taken from his family much too soon. Years later, Joy met David Long while she was working at Mill Grove. They also shared a love of traveling. Through the past 20 years, they got married, travelled every corner of the United States and enjoyed several cruises together. You could find them out dancing and attending outside events in order to learn and experience new things. In recent years, they were inseparable, and always holding hands.

Joy will not only be remembered for her loving and caring ways, but also for wanting to help others and spreading ‘joy’ to everyone around her. Over the years, she routinely volunteered to work the Red Cross blood drives, delivered meals, worked various church events and at Valley Forge Park’s Cabin shop. 

Joy was a devoted grandmother to three: Jake, Alyssa and Cameron. “Yaya” as she liked to be called, loved to go shopping and was very stylish, planted beautiful flowers in her English style garden, enjoyed curling up with a cup of tea and a good book and going for walks with her grandchildren through Valley Forge Park. She adored animals and treated her cats and dogs like her own children. Joy loved “popping over“ to visit her loving daughter and son in law Dan and dropping off a little thoughtful treat, planting some flowers in their garden, and hugging and fussing over their her grandkids while she was out “dashing around”. She also loved to cook in the kitchen with her granddaughter Alyssa and made delicious traditional Greek meals for the entire family when Cameron, Steve and Rick came to visit. Joy enjoyed cheering on Jake at his sporting events and would always love when he and his fiance Lauren would come to visit.

Joy loved people and could see the good in everyone. She had a genuinely bright spirit, warm blue eyes and an enchanting Yorkshire accent that made everyone want to be around her. She brought smiles to countless faces throughout her 92 years and will be forever in our hearts. As Joy would say, “Ta for now. “