Joyce Hayward

[Ian]

Anyone that has attended the NDA's Shipwrecks Symposium over the past 15 years would have come to know one our most loved presenters. Joyce Hayward, after a multi year battle with cancer, died last night. Her goal was to live to see the birth of her grandchild which happened in early July. She will be very missed in the diving community!

Joyce Hayward began diving in 1982. During her diving career she served as the Great Lakes Director of the Atlantic Alliance for Maritime Heritage, and the Vice President of the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History, where she served as chair of the Divers Coordination Committee. She was the President of the Ohio Chapter of Save Ontario Shipwrecks. Joyce had held various offices with the Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers, where she served as Secretary and Chair of the Legislative Action Committee. Joyce earned "Diver of the Year" upon three occasions for the state of Ohio. She also was appointed by the Governor of Ohio to serve on the Maritime Advisory Council, a management advisory committee for the shipwrecks of Lake Erie. She received the Order of Excellence from AMHC, the Distinguished Service Award from the Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers and the Director's Achievement Award from Save Ontario Shipwrecks and recently was inducted into the Women Divers' Hall of Fame. Joyce was an Assistant Instructor, Master Diver, Technical and Tri-mix diver who had been involved in deep, over 160 ft., diving since 1988. Joyce organized and helped to instruct Archaeological training workshops in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. She was featured in several videos and television documentaries including Michigan in Depth, Voices of the Lakes and The Best Adventure Yet. Her photography appeared in various publications and she gave presentations all over the United States and Canada. She is often referred to as "The Lady of the Lakes."