Joyce Rosenthal was born in Cranston, RI, to Marion (Grossman) and William Desotnek in 1936 and was raised in Newport, RI. Her father, an osteopath, died when she was 13, while her mother, a talented pianist, served Newport as a musician, beloved piano teacher, and community volunteer for many years until she died in 1992. Growing up in a musical family enriched Joyce with a lifelong love of music and fueled her many contributions as a passionate student, performer, and arts supporter.

Joyce played the cello throughout her youth and college years and thrived at Boston University, where she studied music and performed with the Boston University Symphony, which featured renowned conductor Leopold Stokowski. It was there that she met fellow musician Joseph Richter. The two married soon thereafter and embarked on a series of musical adventures in Chicago and elsewhere before finally settling in Westchester County, New York, where he became a music educator, and she dedicated herself to raising their two children and later briefly taught nursery school. During the summers, the family traveled extensively across the US, Canada, and Mexico, and Joyce loved these annual camping trips.

After her first marriage ended, Joyce married Bernard “Nick” Rosenthal, and a few years later, they moved to Newport. There, Joyce was surrounded by family and old friends, great music, and the ocean. Like her mother before her, Joyce was a constant presence at the annual Newport Music Festival for decades, and she was recognized as one of the organization’s most dedicated and longest-serving volunteers. Her years with Nick were happy ones, and they soon came to enjoy the snowbird lifestyle—which is how Joyce first discovered Sarasota and eventually became one of its most stalwart volunteers and unofficial cultural ambassadors. Nick passed away in 1996, and eventually, Joyce became a Florida resident while still spending several months a year in Newport to volunteer at her chosen organizations. In her many years visiting and living in Sarasota, Joyce devoted herself to numerous organizations, most notably the Perlman Music Program Suncoast, founded by violinist Itzhak Perlman and his wife Toby. She also served the Sarasota Jazz Club, Longboat Key Library, La Musica, Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning (SILL), the Pelican Cove Cultural Arts Committee, the Women’s Exchange, and more, and she was proud to have served as a poll watcher for many years. She and her companion, Sumner Alpert, attended countless lectures and performances and supported local theater, the Sarasota Symphony, various jazz bands, and more, and she also cultivated enduring relationships with some of the musicians over the years.

Joyce also loved to travel and visited Russia, China, Israel, and numerous European destinations with family and friends. She went on several river cruises and traveled across Italy with her daughter, and also spent several weeks in Portugal in late 2022, visiting her granddaughter and her family before her initial health complications arose. In her own words, Joyce is now “on the other side of the musical rainbow,” where she is hopefully ushering and attending the most spectacular concerts imaginable. Joyce bravely faced a brief battle with brain cancer and will be deeply missed by her son William (Bill) Richter, daughter Marian (Merry) Richter, granddaughter Emma Gaudio, and great-grandsons Theo and Rafi Gaudio. 

For those inspired by her lifetime of service, consider making a donation in her honor to La Musica, Perlman Music Program/Suncoast, the Pelican Cove Cultural Arts Committee, the Newport Public Library, or the charity of your choice.