Joyce LaRose Berman

Joyce LaRose Berman, 93, of West Hartford, passed away on April 23, 2024 at her home at Anthology of Simsbury with her loving daughter, son and granddaughter by her side. Joyce, born Josephine LaRose on June 18, 1930 in Middletown to her parents, Mildred Porter and Joseph LaRose, was a proud Connecticut native who persevered through many hardships in her life, most notably losing her beloved mother and infant brother as a young teen. After living a short time in California with her stepfather, Joyce returned to her home state of Connecticut where she eventually met and married her first husband, James Terrance Mutty, and had three children: Janet Mutty Loh; Joseph Mutty; and James Mutty. In 1972, Joyce remarried Bennett Berman of West Hartford, CT, whom she loved and adored for 32 years until his death on March 5, 2004. For many years, Joyce was very involved with Bennett’s businesses, Bennett’s Card Shop on Farmington Avenue and Baubles, Bangles and Beads Jewelry Stores. Known for hosting over the top parties and living life to the fullest, Joyce was a strong, vibrant woman who loved traveling the world; spending time at “Bittersweet,” her summer home in Killingsworth; boating with her husband, Bennett, on their boat “BBB”; spending Fridays at the beauty shop with her best friends; cheering for Gino Auriemma and UCONN’s Women’s basketball teams; cooking at home and spoiling her dogs; and entertaining family and friends. Her greatest accomplishments were living a long life with a generous, joyful heart; a great sense of humor; and a larger-than-life fighting spirit which she embodied until her very last moment. Joyce is preceded in death by her mother, Mildred Porter Hinton; father Joseph LaRose; beloved members of the Porter family; her loving husband, Bennett Berman; and her sons, Joseph Mutty and Robert Berman. She is survived by her daughters, Janet Mutty Loh (John Loh) and Nicki Sockut (Malcolm Sockut); her son, James Mutty; her granddaughters, Jennifer Loh (Naya Echiribel), Jillian Loh Kearns (Ted Kearns), Rachel Sockut Boreman (Eric Borman), Kate Mutty Kapura (Ian Kapura); and her great grandchildren, Tyson Kearns; Nora Kearns; Cady Borman; Emma Kapura; and Blake Kapura. She is also survived by her cherished extended family: Connie Porter and family; Millie O’Connell and family, of Simsbury, CT; and Janet Lepito, of Southington, CT. We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude for the compassionate, end-of-life caregivers at Anthology of Simsbury, AccentCare Hospice and Heaven’s Hands. In honor of Joyce’s memory and in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to AccentCare Hospice of Farmington (860-466-7222) via the Seasons Hospice Foundation, www.seasonsfoundation.org; and Heaven’s Hands via www.HeavensHandsCare.com (860-519-1922).