A GoFundMe for Joyce Grayson, a 63-year-old visiting nurse who was found dead at the shelter for s*x offenders where she had her first appointment of the day on Saturday, October 28, 2023, has raised more than $18,000.
Grayson, who was described as a foster mother and grandmother who dedicated her life to caring for others, was reportedly killed while visiting a patient at the Willimantic shelter. The patient, a violent registered sex offender, is considered a person of interest in her murder.
The GoFundMe campaign, set up by a family friend to provide financial support to the deceased nurse’s family, revealed that the mother of six had been caring for children for more than 20 years. The friend said:
“Joyce was a wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, friend, mentor, caregiver and many more roles in her life.” They added: “Joyce and her husband also wanted to contribute more and would foster children for over twenty years. She treated all foster children as her own, even if they were only in her home for a short time.”
What we know about CT nurse Joyce Grayson in the aftermath of her death
According to an obituary for Joyce Grayson, she served as a visiting nurse for New England Home Care, now known as Elara Caring, for more than a decade until she was killed last week. Grayson, who grew up as one of thirteen children on a dairy farm in Sterling, CT, graduated from Killingly High School and then attended nursing school at Windham Tech, where he graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Joyce Grayson reportedly worked at the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) for 26 years before retiring and then continued to serve as a visiting nurse for Elara Caring.
NBC Connecticut reported that the deceased nurse’s family had hired an attorney to investigate the circumstances leading to her death as an employee of the nursing home. In a statement, the family’s lawyer, Kelly Reardon, said:
“They strongly believe that many balls were probably dropped, leading to the deaths of their mother and wife. We have been retained to represent them to further explore what remedies may be available to them in the civil system. , and also to protect their interests in the criminal system while this case is ongoing.”
Meanwhile, Elara Caring extended her support to Grayson’s family in a statement following her death. Joyce Grayson reportedly worked for Ealara Caring for 15 years before she was murdered. In an email quoted by NBC Connecticut, an Elara spokesperson said:
“Our thoughts go out to Joyce’s family and loved ones. The safety and well-being of our team members is our top priority,” an Elara spokesperson wrote in an email. “We are providing counseling services to Elara team members affected by this tragedy and will cooperate fully with authorities as their investigation continues. ”
While Connecticut State Police continue to investigate the death, they have yet to release the name of the suspect.