Joyce Emory Perry, 58 LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. - Joyce Emory Perry, 58, of Lincoln University, Pa., crossed over peacefully at home after a very intelligent, hard fought, competitive, 3 year contest against Ovarian Cancer. Joyce was born on July 9, 1951, in Milford. She spent her school age years growing and maturing in this southern Delaware town. Joyce graduated from Milford High School in June of 1969. Joyce was a 4 sport outstanding athlete in Tennis, Basketball, Track, and Field Hockey, during her years at Milford High School. She enrolled in the University of Delaware in September of 1969 where she successfully combined her academic and athletic pursuits. She completed 3 degrees from the University: an Undergraduate degree in Physical Education BSPE '73, it is a degree with Honors and also a Degree with Distinction, a graduate degree in Physical Education MSPE '79 and a Doctoral Candidate- All But Dissertation. Joyce served as a two year captain in basketball and lettering for the first tennis and field hockey teams in UD history. At one point she held the UD record for free throws made in a game with 11 during the 1973 season. Upon her graduation from the University of Delaware, Joyce started her collegiate Women's Basketball coaching career by becoming the Women's Head Basketball coach at Wesley College in September 1974. Joyce's 5 year record at Wesley Junior College was 53-24. She became the Women's Head Basketball Coach, at the University of Delaware in September 1978. Joyce Perry played a major role in the growth of Blue Hens athletics for over the next 25 years. She became only the second Women's Head Basketball Coach in school history. She held this position for 18 years, the longest women's basketball coaching tenure in school history. Joyce became the winningest women's basketball coach in school history during the 1983-1984 seasons. She became the winningest basketball coach in school history for either the Women's or Men's teams during the 1986-1987 seasons. Her 266 career victories remain a UD career record for basketball - men or women. Her 266 wins ranks her third among all women's sports head coaches in UD history. She led the Blue Hens to an 18 year record of 266-212 (.557), six straight winning seasons in 1987-1993, three 20 win season campaigns, six East Coast Conference regular season titles, and three straight ECC Tournament titles in 1989, 1990, 1991. During that three-year stretch, she led Delaware teams to a combined record of 62-26(70.4), including a mark of 42-7 (.857) vs. league opponents. Before UD joined the North Atlantic Conference in 1991-1992, her teams posted a very impressive overall record of 93-41(.694) in ECC play and finished in either First, Second or Third place in the league standings 9 times. She coached nine all conference selections, three conference players of the year, and one conference rookie of the year. Her players also earned numerous academic awards. She was twice named ECC Coach of the Year in 1984(22-4) and 1989(23-6) and was inducted into the University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. Four of her former players – Candy Cashell, Lori Howard, Colleen McNamara and Jennifer Riley – are also members of the UD Hall of Fame. Joyce retired from coaching after the 1995-1996 season. She taught computer software classes for 4 years in the UD College of Health and Exercise Science following her retirement. In September of 2000 Joyce became an Educational Technology Specialist for the Avon Grove School District, West Grove, Pa. She remained with the Avon Grove School District until her death. Joyce aggressively pursued her sports hobbies to the end of her life. She participated in USTA tennis, Senior Olympics at the state and national level, and participated in the Huntsman World games several times. Joyce was a licensed scuba diver. Her athletic accomplishments are as follows: 2003 Member – USTA Team Tennis National Champions – Palm Springs, CA, 2004 Gold Medalist – Tennis Doubles – Huntsman World Games – Salt Lake City, Utah, 2004 Gold Medalist-3 on 3 Basketball – Huntsman World Games – Salt Lake City, Utah, 2005 Gold Medalist – 3 on 3 Basketball – Huntsman World Games – Salt Lake City, Utah, 2005 Gold Medalist – Standing Long Jump – Huntsman World Games – Salt Lake City, Utah; Delaware Senior Olympics: 2006 Outstanding Athlete Award, 2008 Charlie Marten Memorial Award, 2002-2010, Gold Medalist - 3 on 3 Basketball - 9 straight. Joyce is survived by her husband of 25 years Gregg Perry; their two sons, Rhett and Trey; her parents, Cecil and Marie Emory of Milford; sister-in-law, Susan Emory and her children Zachary and Hillary, Milford; and younger brother Gary Emory, wife Cindy, Milford, and their son John Butler, Newark. Joyce was predeceased by her older brother, Ronald Emory in January 2006. Joyce was a member of the Newark United Methodist Church and the Avenue Methodist Church, Milford. A Memorial service will be held in Joyce Perry's honor on Saturday May 8th, at 3 p.m., at the Bob Carpenter Center on the University of Delaware Campus. All those interested are welcome to attend. Please understand that there will be no reception line before, during or after, the memorial service. Please extend your condolences and emotional support to Joyce's family via Gregg Perry's e-mail address: gap25@comcast.net. In lieu of flowers, your contributions will be welcomed by HERA Women's Cancer Foundation c/o R.T. Foard & Jones Funeral Home, 122 West Main ST., Newark, DE 19711. Please visit HERA's website (www.herafoundation.org) to learn more about the organization and how to donate in Joyce Perry's name. Please do visit the website to become educated about ovarian cancer and what you need to do to protect yourself from ever being a victim to this formidable disease. HERA Women's Cancer Foundation is a nationally recognized ovarian cancer nonprofit organization funding cutting edge research grants to leading young scientists at respected medical institutions. In so doing we expand the scientific understanding of ovarian cancer while improving the lives of those battling this disease. Its mission is to stop the loss of mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, wives, partners and girlfriends from ovarian cancer through empowering women to take control of their health, research scientists to find new directions in early detection, treatment and prevention and communities to provide support. To send condolences visit www.rtfoard.com.