Joyce Diane Wiegand-Bavas, 87, much beloved sister, aunt and friend, died peacefully on Friday, July 24, 2026, after a brief illness. Joyce was born on September 23, 1938 in St. Charles, Illinois to Beulah Emily (Ealy) Wiegand and William G. Wiegand. After attending high school in Geneva, Illinois, Joyce moved to Chicago where she worked for various media organizations, including Show Business Illustrated, as a member of the press. For most of her career she served as the Assistant Editor of Fiction for Playboy Magazine in Chicago. She was an avid reader and attended the University of Chicago's Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults in the 1970s. While working at Playboy she met the love of her life, Andrew Lucian Bavas. The two of them traveled Europe, skied, spent time with friends and family, and enjoyed decades of summers at their cottage in Lakeside, Michigan. They shared a love of great company and good food. They were together until his passing in 2016.

Joyce often said "aren't we the lucky ones" to have such wonderful family and friends. She was great fun to spend time with, always ready to go to supper and have a beer (which she would pour herself, thank you very much!) and keenly interested in the well being of all she loved. As her great niece Sophie would say, "why can't all adults be like Auntie Joyce."

Joyce is survived by her brother, Thomas (Suzanne) Wiegand of Holden, MA; nephew Thomas (Karen) Wiegand of Jefferson, MA and his children Emily (James) Whiting and daughter Myla, Andrew and William; niece Trisha (Rob) Schlackman of Dix Hills, NY and their children Dana and Abby (Ellinore); niece Susan Wiegand of Bristol, RI; niece Meg Armstrong (Barry Guiduli) of Westport, CT and their children Bruno and Sofia; niece Jennifer (James) Taylor of Ingleside, IL and her daughter Jessica (Rogelio) and her children Hazel and Zeke. Her husband Andrew, parents, sister Joanne, brother-in-law Don and niece Sarah Armstrong preceded her in death.

A private burial will be held in Valhalla Memorial Park in Alton, Illinois.