Joyce James Golding

With heavy hearts and wonderful memories, we announce the passing of Joyce James Golding, our dear mother, grandmother, wife, and friend. Joyce left this life peacefully on July 13, 2025, surrounded by family and love after a courageous brief illness.

The youngest of six children, Joyce was born in Gardiner on March 25, 1945, to Mildred M. and Walter M. Cogswell, and brought so much happiness to everyone she met from that day forward.

Joyce grew up in Chelsea and attended the Augusta schools. She was a tomboy so loved the outdoors but also enjoyed music and dancing, even dancing on the bed with her girlfriends. When her nieces, Sherry and Joanne, observed the fun they were having, they would join in on the action whether they were wanted or not!

Growing up, she and her mother enjoyed traveling, going to the coast, and indulging in holidays, especially Christmas! Her mother was a hardworking, loving, independent woman and passed on those traits, which Joyce carried throughout the rest of her life.

At 16, Joyce met a young man named Ronald “Buzzy” James who she married in 1963 and went on to have four children, Donna, Ronnie, Tracy, and Janice. They purchased a farmhouse in Jefferson where they raised their family and created many cherished memories. One of those memories included routine visits with Aunt Gail, Uncle Prescott, and our cousins, Laurie and Tammy. While the adults enjoyed playing their card games, we had fun playing games of our own and at times got into a little mischief!

Joyce enjoyed being busy and helping others, and one day decided to start a business within the family home. After a lot of work, she opened the Joyce James Boarding Home, and later, her hair salon called the Country Comb, which was also in the family home. In later years, she became real estate agent and then broker, for Century 21. While she and Buzzy were proud of their accomplishments, nothing made them prouder than watching their children grow, marry, have children of their own, and later, blessing them with grandchildren. They also enjoyed taking trips together to Florida, and eventually purchasing a winter home in Spring Hill, Fla. She also enjoyed going on trips with her sister-in-law, Gail and longtime friend, Shirley. After 43 years of marriage, sadly, Buzz passed away due to a long illness and over time, Joyce made the decision to move to Florida.

As she began her new journey in Florida, she met and married her current husband of 18 years, Mark Golding. She said, “His smile could light up a room!” Joyce began working as an assistant for Independence Inc. of central Florida, where she provided personal assistance to people in need and in time went on to become a life coach and remained there for many years.

She and Mark had a motorcycle and enjoyed going on frequent local road trips, as well as longer trips to their favorite little tiki bar on Treasure Island, Fla. They often joked about times on the motorcycle when she was stung by bees on her chest, saying “The stings use to make her boobies swell all up!” For those who knew Joyce, she didn’t need anything to enhance her boobies! They enjoyed going to family gatherings at his sister Patty’s house, where there was always a feast to be had, and going to local country music clubs where they were often joined by Mark’s twin brother Mike and his wife Lisa. They enjoyed the flea markets, visiting with family who lived in Florida, as well as making trips to their home states of Maine and Ohio to visit other family members and friends.

Joyce was a very generous woman, always giving to others, especially to her children and grandchildren. She loved her grandchildren dearly and already had six of them, when she recently became a grandmother again after Mark’s son, Sean and wife Katherine, welcomed their adorable baby boy, Jaxon!

Mark is a fabulous cook and Joyce greatly appreciated the many meals he prepared for the two of them, but most of all, she loved their family and being home together with their dogs.

In her final days, she asked that when she’s gone, not to cry or be sad because she’s had a wonderful life, she’s just tired now and wants to go “home.” Joyce was a wonderful mother, wife, and role model, but she was also the most tender, strong, loving, giving, honest, compassionate, hardworking, supportive, independent, and most caring person you’d be fortunate to ever meet. We loved her so much and until that glorious day comes when we’re all together again, we will hold our love and memories of her deep within our hearts.

Our mother was predeceased by our father, Ronald “Buzzy” James; her grandson, Kevin Martin; and her siblings, Mildred Kaska, Pearle Merrill, Betty Fielder; and brother, Eugene Cogswell.

She is survived by her husband, Mark Golding, of Bartow, Fla.; her daughter, Donna James Martin (Jon), of Dresden; son, Ronald James Jr. (Diane), of Augusta; daughter, Tracy James Sabugo (Manny), of Palm Springs, Fla.; daughter, Janice James Smith (Brian), of Lakeland, Fla.; stepson, Sean Golding (Katherine), of Ohio; brother-in-law, Mike Golding, of Lakeland, Fla.; sister-in-law, Patty Noble, of Lakeland, Fla.; and grandchildren, Derek James, of Whitefield, Philippe James, of Augusta, Chelsey Martin (Ryan), of Orrington, Brianna Smith (Charles), of Lakeland, Fla., Manny Sabugo, of Palm Springs, Fla., Jaxon Golding, of Ohio; her sister, Louise Toulouse, of Sebring, Fla.; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

At Joyce’s request, there will not be a service. A celebration of her life will take place at a future date.

She loved her dogs and rescued several of them from humane societies so in lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful to have donations be made in Joyce’s name at a humane society of your choice.