2023 -- H 6439

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LC003063

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF ARTHUR JOYAL

     Introduced By: Representatives Roberts, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Noret, Nardone, P.
Morgan, Fenton-Fung, Solomon, Tanzi, and Shallcross Smith

     Date Introduced: May 25, 2023

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this House has learned of the passing of Arthur

Joyal. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 68 years, Cecile Marie Joyal; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Joyal was born in West Warwick, a son of Edouard Joyal II and Marie-

Rose Joyal. He was a child of the Great Depression and his family, like most Americans at that

time, suffered through difficult times. His family was forced to sell their farm and he had to quit

school by the 9th grade to financially help them. As a youngster, he and his brothers sought out

any work they could find, often as laborers on other farms, as well as taking other jobs clearing

land, doing carpentry, milling lumber and doing cement & masonry work, house painting &

plastering, and hand-dig excavation; and

     WHEREAS, During World War II, Mr. Joyal served our nation with honor in the United

States Army-Air Corps in Europe as a truck driver specializing in heavy transport. He and his

colleagues were responsible for hauling the machinery and fuel for American Bomber & Fighter

planes to American air bases throughout France, as the Allied armies were preparing to enter Nazi

Germany. After Germany's surrender, Mr. Joyal's last military orders were to stand guard outside

of the building hosting the Nuremberg trials for Nazi war criminals; and

     WHEREAS, Upon returning home from the war, Mr. Joyal took a position at East

Greenwich Dairy and thanks to his tireless work ethic and professionalism, he worked his way up

through the ranks during his 24 years with them, beginning as a delivery milkman and eventually

becoming the route manager shop steward; and

     WHEREAS, When he returned from the war, Mr. Joyal met the love of his life, Cecile,

and they married on Memorial Day weekend in 1949. Together, they had three sons and raised a

wonderful family together; and

     WHEREAS, In 1971, Mr. Joyal along with his wife and children opened up Joyal's

Liquors, Inc. It was a very successful business which grew and expanded four times in the

Pawtuxet Valley over the next 48 years until being sold in 2019; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Joyal was a devoted family man and a caring and compassionate

person. Like all members of his generation, he highly valued honesty and hard work but was

always willing to help people and organizations in need, whether it was supporting his parish,

veterans causes, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, simply giving a loan to someone in need or

randomly buying toys, candy or winter jackets for impoverished children; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Joyal leaves behind his sons, Dennis Joyal and his wife, Karen, and

Paul Joyal and his wife, Elizabeth. He was the proud grandfather of Sheena Morrison and her

husband, Matthew Morrison, Thomas Joyal, and Emily Martinez and her husband, Joe Martinez,

and the great-grandfather of Declan Secor. He was predeceased by his son, Briand Joyal, and his

siblings, Edouard Joyal III, Rosa Bourgault, Raoul Joyal, and Leo Joyal; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

expresses its condolences on the passing of Arthur Joyal; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Dennis Joyal and Family and Paul Joyal and

Family.

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