In 1950 Joyce married Clement Alfred Gullick who was a missionary with the Methodist Overseas Mission on Elcho Island, they had two daughters and a son. Clem operated the mission's supply lugger the Aroetta and she assisted her husband and the Aboriginal people on the Island. Being a talented musician and seamstress she taught the children singing and sewing lessons before and after schoolteachers arrived at Elcho Island. Joyce typed numerous stencils for the island's linguistic workers. In 1967 the family moved to Darwin, Joyce worked part-time typing Christian education work for the Combined Research and Resource Centre (now known as Nungalinya College) when it was being established in 1971-2. She was still working at the College when Cyclone Tracy wrecked the new buildings. The Winds of Fury is the manuscript which Joyce typed and she continued working at the college for nine years.,