Dear Ray and family,
As the days have passed since Joyce's passing, I think of you and her every day. She was such influence in the lives of our girls, Jennifer and Jill. She was very much loved and appreciated by them. I was deeply grateful for her love, direction, and support of them through the young teenage years. Being a working mom, I counted on the influence and example of so many to guide our children when I was helping other children. Joyce was one of those mentors for our girls. I know they grew in positive directions and stayed close to valued principles because of her example.
She always cared about me, as well, inviting me to be a part of activites or asking me to come to her home. Ray and Joyce helped me in my elementary teaching career by building things, providing me with puppets, introducing me to other teachers whose ideas and creative presentations became a part of my classroom environment and teaching strategies. Ray built me countless structures to use in my classroom, and Joyce and he provided me with left over parts from their puppets so that I could use these materials in my math and art lessons. We worked together on teaching materials, both printed and visual, that I used to inspire the children. Joyce and Ray were invaluable in the preparation that I had to make for each of our girl's weddings. I could not have accomplished what I did if they had not helped me like they did.
Joyce always greeted me at church with her caring warmth and sincere love. We often shared our concern for our mutual friends, wondering how we could be of assistance to them. Joyce was always calling and offering her service to me, as I am the compassionate service person in Relief Society, and she was always the one to call first or offer her services. She would, on her own, take full dinners to those whose loved one had just passed. Her meals were wonderful, and she prepared them with such ease.
Her quiet dignity and generous spirit were soothing and comfortable. I just can't imagine her not being here to be able to feel of her quiet, constant presence. I do feel her near, and I know that she will reach out from the other side to comfort, inform, guide, and help you, her loved ones and friends, to temper the loss of her passing.
I feel grateful to have been her friend, to have had her influence in the lives of our girls to such a degree that they loved her and appreciated her in the way that they did, and that they can truly say she influenced their lives for good in such a profound way. They are great young women, and I fully realize that it was because of women like Joyce who touched their lives for good.
I hope and pray that you will be comforted as you have comforted us in her sweet memorial and the sharing of her life in the sweet, simple way that you did.
I want to be able to lend my love and support to you and your family, Ray, and to Joyce. Sending this email was one way that I could show that love. I know there is so much more that I would like to say. Right now, I'll just say: "Thank you for the opportunity to have known Joyce and to have had her influence in my life and the life of my loved ones. For that, I will be eternally grateful."
Love, Clair Ann Rasmussen
I know that Arlan feels the same way that I do.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Richfield Reaper
Joyce's obituary can be found in the Richfield Reaper by clicking here. Our thanks go out to mom's neice Patricia for helping.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Listen to or read the funeral talks
To listen to the audio of the funeral, click on this link http://www.divshare.com/download/7420921-c7b
At this link you can either listen to the recording online or download the mp3 file to your hard drive or mp3 player for later listening.
Here is the text of the Life Sketch by Karen Wade and Alma Don Shurtleff
We are gathered today to pay honor to our dear friend, wife, mother and grandmother Joyce Salisbury Anderson. In response to a school assignment for her oldest granddaughter Lauren Olsen Joyce answered several biographical questions. We would like to share with you, in her own words, her responses to those questions:
Where did you grow up?
My parents were Bert Salisbury and Vernessa Cook. Bert was born in Richfield Utah on March
15th 1901. Vernessa was born in Junction, Utah January 20th 1904.
I was born in Richfied Utah on Feb 17th 1935. I was the youngest of four children, Marvin,
Shirley, Jeri and myself. My mother died when I was six months old. My father made every attempt to keep the family together. He hired a young girl (Francis Sorensen) to help with the family. After a period of time he married this girls mother Lottie. Francis then became my Nanny and my sister. There was also another sister Lois. We then became a family of six. I continued to live in Richfield until 1956.
What were your Family Conditions like?
Things were difficult but I was always loved and cared for. Dad worked for many years for a
local Ice Cream factory (Forcey Ice Cream). He later had an opportunity to become a partner in the Richfield Coca Cola Franchise. He was in charge of the bottling plant, bottling and refrigeration. His other two partners were in charge of distribution and business. He remained there until he retired at the age of 65. As a Coke bottler Bert always had a supply of Coke on the back porch. All the close family members knew it was there and took advantage of a free Coke whenever they were in the neighborhood.
Lottie worked for J. C. Penny and Company for all the time that I knew her until she retired.
Many times after school I would go to her store and help her straighten the clothes on the hangers on the display racks. Trying on clothes was my favorite thing to do and my mother dressed me well.
For family outings my parents had a travel trailer that they would take to Fish Lake and set up
for the summer. Dad had a small boat and was an avid fisherman. We would spend most summer weekends at Fish Lake. I even went fishing with him occasionally. If we didn't go to Fish Lake we liked to visit the national parks in southern Utah and northern Arizona. We also made many trips to California to visit relatives.
What was your Favorite toy?
When I was young I loved playing with and dressing dolls. I spent a lot of time with my cousin
Karen who lived next door. We would gather blankets and make play houses in the neighbor's apple tree.
In the summer after I turned eight I received as a surprise a new bicycle. This became my most
prized toy. I was no longer confined at home. I could go see my friends and go to baby sitting jobs and just have fun and freedom.
What are your Childhood Memories?
Weekends at Fish Lake.
National Parks. (Bryce Canyon, Zions Park, Cedar Breaks and Big Rock Candy Mountain).
Trips to California.
Spending time with my sisters and other family members.
What memories of Holidays and Traditions do you have?
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. Buying gifts for others, cutting down a
Christmas tree, decorating it and the rest of the house.
Tell me about your favorite Relative.
My favorite relative was my sister Francis. She was my other mother mainly because she
became my caregiver right after my mother died then my sister after my dad married her mother. Since mother Lottie worked at Penny's Francis took me for most weekends and most of the summer time. She and her husband Bert Staples became my second family. I really enjoyed spending time with them because they lived on a farm and they had a lot of animals. I gathered eggs, fed the lambs, pigs, calves and chickens. They had a son Tony and a daughter Susan. I especially enjoyed tending them and watching them grow up.
Where did you go to School?
I went to school in Richfield Utah for my entire school career. We had Elementary school
grades 1 through 6, Junior high 7, 8 and 9, and High school 10, 11 and 12. My favorite classes
were Home Economics and Choir. I sang at weddings and funerals and danced at school
assemblies and half time at basketball games.
What did you do for a Career?
During high school I worked at the local movie theater at the candy counter. I also served tables
at a family restaurant. After high school I worked as a switchboard operator for the phone company.
After I got married and moved to California I again worked for the telephone company in the billing department.
In 1972 I was doing a church craft evening. The theme was “puppets”. One of the puppets I
designed for this craft night was a puppet in a cone. From this evolved a home business. One of the successes of this endeavor was the design of Snoopy the astronaut. As some may remember the first man to land on the moon had Charles Schultz “Snoopy” as a mascot. These puppets caught on as a teaching aid for kindergarten and first grade students. Many thousands of these puppets were sold to kindergarten and first grade teachers throughout the United States, Canada and other foreign countries.
Maybe some readers of this report can remember being greeted by Big Bird or led in counting by Zero the Hero. As a matter of history I received an order from Texas on Saturday the 10th of March 2007. (35 years after I started). In all there were 52 characters available along with some special order patterns. I have not actively advertised the puppet business since 1998. I still have some materials and fill small orders.
I also was involved in the manufacture of a high end ladies Jacket. The company name was
Blooms. It was a family business with two other families. We closed the business in 2003.
These in home businesses provided income to help with orthodontics, college tuition, trips and
other niceties and necessities.
What Difficult decisions did you have to make?
Where to go to work
Which house to buy
Whether to sell or remodel our home
What Scary Moments did you have in your life?
Mother Lottie's mother (Granny ma) lived by herself. She was an older lady who was alone and
did not want to stay by herself at night. There were 8 grand daughters that lived nearby. It was decided that we would all take turns as a sleeping companion at her home. It turned out that I was the only one that was very dependable. Therefore, I got the bulk of the sleepovers. At the time I was in high school and worked at the local movie theater candy counter at night. I got off work at 12:30 or 1:00 am and had to walk to Granny ma's by myself. The walk was between seven and eight blocks. I usually ran most of the way because it was really dark and I was scared.
In March 1987 I discovered a lump in my breast. The next two to three weeks were very
frightful and stressful. First the biopsy, then the diagnoses, then a second opinion then the final
decision. As it turned out, the type of cancer diagnosed was a very rare type of breast cancer. There were only three documented cases of this type of breast cancer, one in England, one in New York and one in Los Angeles. This did not provide a very good treatment data base. As it turned out after surgery it was determined that I didn't need radiation or chemotherapy, only reconstruction. Bottom line I am a “survivor” .
___________________________
The statement “I am a survivor” sums up her basic character. However, Joyce is only the second of her family of 6 to pass away, proceeded only by her older sister Francis.
Joyce married Ramon Anderson in the Manti Temple on June 5, 1956. Joyce and Ramon have 4
children, Kevin, Randy, Wendi and Brett. They have 14 grandchildren and one on the way at Brett and Michelle's house.
Joyce has always been very dedicated in her service to others. She loved to cook and she loved her grandchildren. She was always grateful for the opportunities to be around them. She loved to camp and be in the outdoors. She loved crafts of all kinds. Joyce has always been active in her church callings and has served as Relief Society Counselors, Relief Society President (twice), Primary teacher, Young Woman's advisor, Relief Society Homemaking Leader and the cooking group leader.
Joyce has always been a very quiet person. One that would not stand out in a crowd. Until she was given an assignment, then she would serve whole-heartedly, put everything she had into it and accomplish the task at hand with purpose, always with a touch of excellence and without a lot of fanfare.
Joyce was the primary designer and major laborer in their recent home remodel. Joyce designed her dream kitchen and bathroom. She was the primary interior decorator and researched and selected all the colors, materials, appliances, fixtures, window treatments and furniture in their home. It has become a beautiful and functional home.
Due to her patience and expertise, this “Do-it-yourself” project was completed for a significantly less cost than if it had been completed by a contractor. She has always had the knack to buy on-sale, slightly damaged or end of season merchandise. Her favorite shopping destinations were SteinMart and TJ Maxx, always looking to find a bargain.
Joyce had a great love of the gospel that she instilled in her children through the example of how she lived her life. She had a testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and of the eternal nature of families. She was loved by many and will be sorely missed.
Here is the text of the remarks by Michele Anderson:
Joyce was one of my very best friends. Our friendship started when I married her son, Randy, 17 years ago. She has taught me many things during this time. First, she has taught me how to see humor in everyday situations. I remember her laughing one time after she had been to one of her luncheons with her lunch bunch ladies. When we asked her why she was laughing she said that she was thinking about their luncheon and realized that they were all getting older because their topic of conversation was which medications they were all taking and what worked and what didn’t. (By the way, she loved to go to lunch with her friends). I also remember when my older boys were little and we went to Fish Lake. Randy and Dad decided to go fly fishing in their float tubes and left Mom and I on the shore to try to help the boys fish with worms. Mom loved to fish and did very well at it so I thought we would be o.k. by ourselves. She started laughing so hard as we tried to break these worms in half and then stick them on the boys hooks. As you know, her laugh was so contagious that I started laughing and then we couldn’t get anything done. I remember the boys looking at us and not understanding the humor of the situation because they were anxious to fish….. I will miss hearing Joyce laugh. I loved her sense of adventure. She was always ready for fun. Recently Mom and I went to San Francisco to see the musical “Wicked”. We got lost trying to find our way to Union Square, which is right in the middle of San Francisco. We ask three different people on the street how to get to Union Square and each time we ended up farther away than we were in the first place. We must have spent an hour driving around in a circle laughing the whole time. We finally came to the conclusion that nobody in San Francisco knows how to get to Union Square. Joyce always had such a positive attitude about everything and she wasn’t afraid to be silly. One year Joyce and I went to visit Wendi in Arizona during Halloween. We got invited to go to a Halloween party with Wendi’s family while we were there. Since we didn’t have any costumes Wendi took us to this thrift store and Mom found this huge afro white wig and a red bozo the clown nose which she wore to the party. Everyone loved it!!
Second, Joyce has taught me how to shop. She loved to shop for herself but most of all she loved to shop for others. I remember her getting so excited about gifts she had found, especially when they were gifts for her grandkids. She told me that she gave a dress to her granddaughter Megan who is 3 ½ and that this dress was the only one that Megan would wear. I know that she was so tickled by that.
Third, Joyce has taught me how to better serve others. I know that Joyce had a testimony of Jesus Christ and she showed this by doing for others. I can’t tell you how many times I have stopped by Mom’s house and found her making goodies or a meal to take to a neighbor or a friend. Many times she wouldn’t ask someone if they needed help she would just show up and start helping. She had so many favorite treats to share and I’m sure that many of you have received “Bunny rolls”, or her homemade candy or one of my family’s favorite, her cheesecake. I don’t think the word idle was a word that Mom knew because she was always helping with something. I remember all the relief society pro jects that she planned and then had Dad make them. You knew you were getting something good when Joyce was teaching a class.
Last, she taught me about family love. I have heard her give such good advice over the years to family and friends. I remember when I was a new mom and trying to take care of a baby and also trying to keep my house clean. She could tell that I was struggling and her advice to me was that I had to let some things go and enjoy that time with Nathan and Randy. I liked to joke with her that now that my three boys are older I think I have let my standards of cleanliness go a little too low and that maybe I should raise them a little higher. Joyce had a way of making others feel better. I think that is why so many people loved to be around her. I appreciated her constant reassurance that I was doing a good job as a wife and mother. I think she could tell that I needed to hear that. I’m sure that she gave that same reassurance to many people here today. I know that she loved her family and her friends. I also know that many of her friends felt like her family. She had a special way of making people feel like that. Joyce always liked to include others. I remember so many dinners where we had a full house but Joyce would be trying to find a way that we could fit more people in. I also remember when someone would stop by during dinner Mom would be trying to talk them into sitting down and eating with us. My family has been blessed to be able to share Sunday dinner with Mom and Dad for years now and those have been some of the happiest times. Joyce was a good wife, a good mother, a good daughter, a good sister and a good friend and I will miss her very much. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Here is the text of the remarks by Briana Anderson:
This hour is not enough time to describe in words how incredibly wonderful Joyce is. Thank you, all of you, for coming. Your presence comforts us and validates what we know to be true
about our Grandma Joyce. Her love for all of us is tangible. Every one of you have been touched by the good deeds of her
hands,
You have been warmed by the honesty of her heart or
strengthened, because of her confidence in you.
You have bent her listening ear, or received sunshine through the
sound of her voice or the sight of her smile.
There are countless others she has touched, we are not alone,
If they could be here today, this building would burst at the
seams.
Joyce has loved and served all her life.
She has served those here on earth and those on the other side
of the veil.
She has a strong testimony of the gospel because she lives the
gospel.
She has proven, through her life experiences, that the principles
of the gospel are true.
She is immovable in her faith.
Through her example, I gain the courage to lengthen my stride, to
try harder, focusing on the merits of God.
We are all blessed because we know her.
Grandma Joyce
You can’t go hungry around her, spiritually or physically. She’s
always doin’ in the kitchen.
Every one of her grandchildren have sat on her kitchen counter
with a mixing spoon and helped her cook, make rolls, cookies,
cake, candy, or whatever.
She loves her grandchildren!
When they were little, they would run around getting “underfoot”
as children do,
Grandma Joyce would capture them with a hug and tell them,
“You’re a pest!” which would inspire much giggling and more
running.
She would kiss them, and play with them, feed them, and read to
them, love them, and sing to them.
She would endlessly clean up after them,
and frequently have to dunk them in the tub.
It was a full time job which she loved and she did with patience
and a smile, always finding fun in the adventure of
“Grandmothering.”
Grandma Joyce
She loves flowers, red poppies are her favorite.
One day she came over to my house with a little envelope of
seeds.
She asked if I might be able to grow them.
She said “They’re heirloom seeds from Grandma Bagley’s
garden. She used to have them growing under her window. They
were big pink poppies; I just thought they were so beautiful. I’ve
had these seeds in my cupboard for forty years. Do you think you
could get them to grow?”
I love a good challenge,
so I threw them over my back porch rail.
I was more amazed than her. They grew to be four to five feet tall
and had these huge pink blossoms on them.
I was so excited when I told her about them; she was thrilled and
couldn’t wait to see them.
We had friends over for dinner the same day the poppies started
blooming.
Naturally we got on the subject of these forty year old “heirloom”
seeds which I wanted to show them.
Our guests were Matt and Jeannie Burton.
Matt was 6’5” and at work he’s called Officer Burton. He took one
look at Grandma Joyce’s heirloom poppy seeds and said “those
are illegal in California.”
I was shocked and thought he was kidding but he shook his head
and said he could show me how to harvest them. I told him
absolutely not.
Grandma Joyce got quite an earful after they left and we all had a
good laugh about it.
Matt said that if I started driving a Porsche to church, he’d know
my poppies were doing really well. To this day, when he sees us
he’ll wave and smile, then scan the parking lot around us. It’s a
standing joke.
Grandma Joyce
Camping with the Andersons, I can’t remember a camping trip
without Grandma Joyce’s scones. We eat like royalty when we
camp.
Grandma Joyce and Papa have perfected the art of camping on
all levels.
One year at Yosemite, everyone was there; we were all sitting
around the campfire when someone shouted “Bear!”
I’ve never seen Joyce move so fast.
She won the foot race to the motor home, out-distancing her
fastest grandchild by at least three feet.
When the dust settled we could see Grandma Joyce, Wendi and
her kids all looking out of the motor home, the bear was gone
(probably scared of being trampled) and I don’t remember them
coming out for s’mores later on.
Joyce is just full of surprises.
Through the years Joyce has taught me the importance of family
and priorities and how to choose them.
She has taught me patience, thoughtfulness, tolerance, culture
and the value of quality.
She has accepted me into her home and her heart with open
arms.
She has taught me eternal principles through example.
I am still learning. I am still trying because my love and respect
for Joyce runs deep.
Joyce is adventurous.
When Joyce was dating Dad, he taught her how to catch a turkey
for Thanksgiving.
He told her she had to be its friend.
You sit down nice and easy beside it.
Put your arm around its shoulders and grab ahold of its leg.
Then you reach up slowly with your other arm and hold it by the
neck.
When you have a good hold, just stand up and walk away with it.
Picture it with Joyce…
She threw the turkey in the trunk of her car…
We all know there’s more to Joyce than just puppet feathers.
My husband, Kevin, is becoming more and more like his dad as
the years march on.
Occasionally I’ll share this with Joyce and she’ll look at me and
with a twinkle in our eyes, she’ll say “I’m so sorry.”
It’s a connection with her that will always produce a smile, for we
love our men, the whole package.
They are the best of the best. We know how blessed we are to
have them as companions.
Grandma Joyce and Papa have provided for us a living example
of Eternal Marriage, of complete devotion.
They have raised four incredibly caring and talented children, who
hold fast to the standards of their Mother, Father and God.
In so doing, they extend countless blessings to many others,
ever increasing that classic touch of Joyce Anderson.
Joyce has come to the end of her earthly trials but her influence
remains here.
We will carry on your legacy Mom.
We will honor your name in all we do because you have loved us
deeply, through word and deed.
We are forever grateful to be a part of your life.
We are sure your Ukulele skills will fit in perfectly with all the
harps.
Happy Mother’s Day, Grandma Joyce.
We love you.
We miss you.
Here is the text of the talk by Brett Anderson - Plan of Salvation:
My dad asked me speak today on our family's testimony of the Plan of
Salvation. We know that we are each the son or daughter of a loving Father in
Heaven. We each existed and lived with Him before we came to this earth to
experience our mortal lives. Before we came to earth, he presented us with a
plan of happiness in which we could choose for ourselves how we would live on
this earth. An important part of God's plan is for us to learn to make correct
choices.
Each of us chose to follow His plan. We each came to this earth by means of
our mortal mother and father and we gained our physical bodies. He gave us
the Light of Christ to help us make righteous choices that would allow us to
return to live with Him. However, because He gave us the ability to choose, He
knew that we would sometimes make choices that are contrary to His will. In
order for us to overcome the effects of these wrong choices, the Father sent His
son Jesus Christ to the earth to atone for our sins. Jesus Christ came to this
earth as the son of God and lived a perfect life. He voluntarily suffered for our
sins, pains, sicknesses, and sorrows. Through His grace and mercy, He can
help us overcome the trials and sadness that we experience in this life. It is the
atonement of Jesus Christ that is the central point of the plan of salvation.
Just as birth and gaining a physical body is part of His plan for us, so is death.
Death is the separation of our temporal body and our eternal spirit. The spirit
continues to live and returns to the Spirit World. It is in the spirit world that we
will continue to learn and prepare to live with our Father in Heaven eternally.
One of the great gifts of our Heavenly Father to all who come to earth is the
resurrection, which is made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Three
days after Christ died on the cross, His spirit was reunited with his glorified,
perfected body that could no longer die. Just as Christ has a perfected,
resurrected body, so too will each of us who have come to live on the earth be
reunited with a perfect body.
After the resurrection, we will each come before our Father in Heaven and be
judged according to our works and the desires of our hearts. It is our goal to live
in a manner such that we can return to the Celestial Kingdom and live eternally
with our Heavenly Father.
Another essential element of our Father's plan for us is to experience the joys of
living together in a family. He provided a way for families to be sealed together
for eternity. The sealing ordinance is a covenant between a man and woman
and our Heavenly Father. This ordinance takes place in the holy temples of
Lord. It is this sealing ordinance that binds families together and allows us to
live together forever.
I have a testimony of Our Heavenly Father's love for and plan for each of us. I
know that he lives and that he knows me personally. I would like to share some
personal experiences from the last two weeks that strengthen this testimony.
Our Heavenly Father has granted me some of his tender mercies. As you have
heard, Michelle and I are expecting our 4th child. With our past pregnancies, we
have always waited until after the 10-week point when we have seen the doctor
and had an initial ultrasound before telling anyone in the family. With this
pregnancy, we felt very prompted that we needed to tell our parents early. It
was almost two weeks ago that we told Mom about our pregnancy and she was
overjoyed with the news. I know that it was a loving Heavenly Father who
knows me and my family personally who prompted us to share this news with
Mom.
Then this past Monday evening we had Family Home Evening. We had
intended to tell the kids about the pregnancy, but as is often the case with
Family Home Evening and young kids, it didn't quite go as planned and the
moment just didn't seem right, so we didn't tell them. Afterwards, we were all
sitting at the kitchen table eating a cookie and it was peaceful. I took the
opportunity to talk with the kids and I was prompted to talk with them about the
eternal nature of families and about the plan of salvation. I taught them about
the pre-mortal life and that there was a another member of our family who was
waiting to come to earth.
It was during the night early Tuesday morning that we learned of Mom's passing.
When the kids woke, we had the opportunity to rehearse with them again the
eternal nature of families. We taught them that just like we have a new child
living with Heavenly Father and waiting to come to our family, that Grandma is
now in the Spirit World waiting for us to come and join her and that she is
reunited with others of her family who have gone before her. It was a peaceful
experience telling my kids of their grandmother's passing having just spoken of
the plan of salvation the night before.
It is through my knowledge of the plan of salvation that make such a trying time
easier to bear. I know that Our Father in Heaven lives and that he loves each
one of us. I know that he grants unto each one of us tender mercies that testify
to us of His love. We each love Mom and I testify that she still lives and that we
will be with her again some day.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
At this link you can either listen to the recording online or download the mp3 file to your hard drive or mp3 player for later listening.
Here is the text of the Life Sketch by Karen Wade and Alma Don Shurtleff
We are gathered today to pay honor to our dear friend, wife, mother and grandmother Joyce Salisbury Anderson. In response to a school assignment for her oldest granddaughter Lauren Olsen Joyce answered several biographical questions. We would like to share with you, in her own words, her responses to those questions:
Where did you grow up?
My parents were Bert Salisbury and Vernessa Cook. Bert was born in Richfield Utah on March
15th 1901. Vernessa was born in Junction, Utah January 20th 1904.
I was born in Richfied Utah on Feb 17th 1935. I was the youngest of four children, Marvin,
Shirley, Jeri and myself. My mother died when I was six months old. My father made every attempt to keep the family together. He hired a young girl (Francis Sorensen) to help with the family. After a period of time he married this girls mother Lottie. Francis then became my Nanny and my sister. There was also another sister Lois. We then became a family of six. I continued to live in Richfield until 1956.
What were your Family Conditions like?
Things were difficult but I was always loved and cared for. Dad worked for many years for a
local Ice Cream factory (Forcey Ice Cream). He later had an opportunity to become a partner in the Richfield Coca Cola Franchise. He was in charge of the bottling plant, bottling and refrigeration. His other two partners were in charge of distribution and business. He remained there until he retired at the age of 65. As a Coke bottler Bert always had a supply of Coke on the back porch. All the close family members knew it was there and took advantage of a free Coke whenever they were in the neighborhood.
Lottie worked for J. C. Penny and Company for all the time that I knew her until she retired.
Many times after school I would go to her store and help her straighten the clothes on the hangers on the display racks. Trying on clothes was my favorite thing to do and my mother dressed me well.
For family outings my parents had a travel trailer that they would take to Fish Lake and set up
for the summer. Dad had a small boat and was an avid fisherman. We would spend most summer weekends at Fish Lake. I even went fishing with him occasionally. If we didn't go to Fish Lake we liked to visit the national parks in southern Utah and northern Arizona. We also made many trips to California to visit relatives.
What was your Favorite toy?
When I was young I loved playing with and dressing dolls. I spent a lot of time with my cousin
Karen who lived next door. We would gather blankets and make play houses in the neighbor's apple tree.
In the summer after I turned eight I received as a surprise a new bicycle. This became my most
prized toy. I was no longer confined at home. I could go see my friends and go to baby sitting jobs and just have fun and freedom.
What are your Childhood Memories?
Weekends at Fish Lake.
National Parks. (Bryce Canyon, Zions Park, Cedar Breaks and Big Rock Candy Mountain).
Trips to California.
Spending time with my sisters and other family members.
What memories of Holidays and Traditions do you have?
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. Buying gifts for others, cutting down a
Christmas tree, decorating it and the rest of the house.
Tell me about your favorite Relative.
My favorite relative was my sister Francis. She was my other mother mainly because she
became my caregiver right after my mother died then my sister after my dad married her mother. Since mother Lottie worked at Penny's Francis took me for most weekends and most of the summer time. She and her husband Bert Staples became my second family. I really enjoyed spending time with them because they lived on a farm and they had a lot of animals. I gathered eggs, fed the lambs, pigs, calves and chickens. They had a son Tony and a daughter Susan. I especially enjoyed tending them and watching them grow up.
Where did you go to School?
I went to school in Richfield Utah for my entire school career. We had Elementary school
grades 1 through 6, Junior high 7, 8 and 9, and High school 10, 11 and 12. My favorite classes
were Home Economics and Choir. I sang at weddings and funerals and danced at school
assemblies and half time at basketball games.
What did you do for a Career?
During high school I worked at the local movie theater at the candy counter. I also served tables
at a family restaurant. After high school I worked as a switchboard operator for the phone company.
After I got married and moved to California I again worked for the telephone company in the billing department.
In 1972 I was doing a church craft evening. The theme was “puppets”. One of the puppets I
designed for this craft night was a puppet in a cone. From this evolved a home business. One of the successes of this endeavor was the design of Snoopy the astronaut. As some may remember the first man to land on the moon had Charles Schultz “Snoopy” as a mascot. These puppets caught on as a teaching aid for kindergarten and first grade students. Many thousands of these puppets were sold to kindergarten and first grade teachers throughout the United States, Canada and other foreign countries.
Maybe some readers of this report can remember being greeted by Big Bird or led in counting by Zero the Hero. As a matter of history I received an order from Texas on Saturday the 10th of March 2007. (35 years after I started). In all there were 52 characters available along with some special order patterns. I have not actively advertised the puppet business since 1998. I still have some materials and fill small orders.
I also was involved in the manufacture of a high end ladies Jacket. The company name was
Blooms. It was a family business with two other families. We closed the business in 2003.
These in home businesses provided income to help with orthodontics, college tuition, trips and
other niceties and necessities.
What Difficult decisions did you have to make?
Where to go to work
Which house to buy
Whether to sell or remodel our home
What Scary Moments did you have in your life?
Mother Lottie's mother (Granny ma) lived by herself. She was an older lady who was alone and
did not want to stay by herself at night. There were 8 grand daughters that lived nearby. It was decided that we would all take turns as a sleeping companion at her home. It turned out that I was the only one that was very dependable. Therefore, I got the bulk of the sleepovers. At the time I was in high school and worked at the local movie theater candy counter at night. I got off work at 12:30 or 1:00 am and had to walk to Granny ma's by myself. The walk was between seven and eight blocks. I usually ran most of the way because it was really dark and I was scared.
In March 1987 I discovered a lump in my breast. The next two to three weeks were very
frightful and stressful. First the biopsy, then the diagnoses, then a second opinion then the final
decision. As it turned out, the type of cancer diagnosed was a very rare type of breast cancer. There were only three documented cases of this type of breast cancer, one in England, one in New York and one in Los Angeles. This did not provide a very good treatment data base. As it turned out after surgery it was determined that I didn't need radiation or chemotherapy, only reconstruction. Bottom line I am a “survivor” .
___________________________
The statement “I am a survivor” sums up her basic character. However, Joyce is only the second of her family of 6 to pass away, proceeded only by her older sister Francis.
Joyce married Ramon Anderson in the Manti Temple on June 5, 1956. Joyce and Ramon have 4
children, Kevin, Randy, Wendi and Brett. They have 14 grandchildren and one on the way at Brett and Michelle's house.
Joyce has always been very dedicated in her service to others. She loved to cook and she loved her grandchildren. She was always grateful for the opportunities to be around them. She loved to camp and be in the outdoors. She loved crafts of all kinds. Joyce has always been active in her church callings and has served as Relief Society Counselors, Relief Society President (twice), Primary teacher, Young Woman's advisor, Relief Society Homemaking Leader and the cooking group leader.
Joyce has always been a very quiet person. One that would not stand out in a crowd. Until she was given an assignment, then she would serve whole-heartedly, put everything she had into it and accomplish the task at hand with purpose, always with a touch of excellence and without a lot of fanfare.
Joyce was the primary designer and major laborer in their recent home remodel. Joyce designed her dream kitchen and bathroom. She was the primary interior decorator and researched and selected all the colors, materials, appliances, fixtures, window treatments and furniture in their home. It has become a beautiful and functional home.
Due to her patience and expertise, this “Do-it-yourself” project was completed for a significantly less cost than if it had been completed by a contractor. She has always had the knack to buy on-sale, slightly damaged or end of season merchandise. Her favorite shopping destinations were SteinMart and TJ Maxx, always looking to find a bargain.
Joyce had a great love of the gospel that she instilled in her children through the example of how she lived her life. She had a testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and of the eternal nature of families. She was loved by many and will be sorely missed.
Here is the text of the remarks by Michele Anderson:
Joyce was one of my very best friends. Our friendship started when I married her son, Randy, 17 years ago. She has taught me many things during this time. First, she has taught me how to see humor in everyday situations. I remember her laughing one time after she had been to one of her luncheons with her lunch bunch ladies. When we asked her why she was laughing she said that she was thinking about their luncheon and realized that they were all getting older because their topic of conversation was which medications they were all taking and what worked and what didn’t. (By the way, she loved to go to lunch with her friends). I also remember when my older boys were little and we went to Fish Lake. Randy and Dad decided to go fly fishing in their float tubes and left Mom and I on the shore to try to help the boys fish with worms. Mom loved to fish and did very well at it so I thought we would be o.k. by ourselves. She started laughing so hard as we tried to break these worms in half and then stick them on the boys hooks. As you know, her laugh was so contagious that I started laughing and then we couldn’t get anything done. I remember the boys looking at us and not understanding the humor of the situation because they were anxious to fish….. I will miss hearing Joyce laugh. I loved her sense of adventure. She was always ready for fun. Recently Mom and I went to San Francisco to see the musical “Wicked”. We got lost trying to find our way to Union Square, which is right in the middle of San Francisco. We ask three different people on the street how to get to Union Square and each time we ended up farther away than we were in the first place. We must have spent an hour driving around in a circle laughing the whole time. We finally came to the conclusion that nobody in San Francisco knows how to get to Union Square. Joyce always had such a positive attitude about everything and she wasn’t afraid to be silly. One year Joyce and I went to visit Wendi in Arizona during Halloween. We got invited to go to a Halloween party with Wendi’s family while we were there. Since we didn’t have any costumes Wendi took us to this thrift store and Mom found this huge afro white wig and a red bozo the clown nose which she wore to the party. Everyone loved it!!
Second, Joyce has taught me how to shop. She loved to shop for herself but most of all she loved to shop for others. I remember her getting so excited about gifts she had found, especially when they were gifts for her grandkids. She told me that she gave a dress to her granddaughter Megan who is 3 ½ and that this dress was the only one that Megan would wear. I know that she was so tickled by that.
Third, Joyce has taught me how to better serve others. I know that Joyce had a testimony of Jesus Christ and she showed this by doing for others. I can’t tell you how many times I have stopped by Mom’s house and found her making goodies or a meal to take to a neighbor or a friend. Many times she wouldn’t ask someone if they needed help she would just show up and start helping. She had so many favorite treats to share and I’m sure that many of you have received “Bunny rolls”, or her homemade candy or one of my family’s favorite, her cheesecake. I don’t think the word idle was a word that Mom knew because she was always helping with something. I remember all the relief society pro jects that she planned and then had Dad make them. You knew you were getting something good when Joyce was teaching a class.
Last, she taught me about family love. I have heard her give such good advice over the years to family and friends. I remember when I was a new mom and trying to take care of a baby and also trying to keep my house clean. She could tell that I was struggling and her advice to me was that I had to let some things go and enjoy that time with Nathan and Randy. I liked to joke with her that now that my three boys are older I think I have let my standards of cleanliness go a little too low and that maybe I should raise them a little higher. Joyce had a way of making others feel better. I think that is why so many people loved to be around her. I appreciated her constant reassurance that I was doing a good job as a wife and mother. I think she could tell that I needed to hear that. I’m sure that she gave that same reassurance to many people here today. I know that she loved her family and her friends. I also know that many of her friends felt like her family. She had a special way of making people feel like that. Joyce always liked to include others. I remember so many dinners where we had a full house but Joyce would be trying to find a way that we could fit more people in. I also remember when someone would stop by during dinner Mom would be trying to talk them into sitting down and eating with us. My family has been blessed to be able to share Sunday dinner with Mom and Dad for years now and those have been some of the happiest times. Joyce was a good wife, a good mother, a good daughter, a good sister and a good friend and I will miss her very much. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Here is the text of the remarks by Briana Anderson:
This hour is not enough time to describe in words how incredibly wonderful Joyce is. Thank you, all of you, for coming. Your presence comforts us and validates what we know to be true
about our Grandma Joyce. Her love for all of us is tangible. Every one of you have been touched by the good deeds of her
hands,
You have been warmed by the honesty of her heart or
strengthened, because of her confidence in you.
You have bent her listening ear, or received sunshine through the
sound of her voice or the sight of her smile.
There are countless others she has touched, we are not alone,
If they could be here today, this building would burst at the
seams.
Joyce has loved and served all her life.
She has served those here on earth and those on the other side
of the veil.
She has a strong testimony of the gospel because she lives the
gospel.
She has proven, through her life experiences, that the principles
of the gospel are true.
She is immovable in her faith.
Through her example, I gain the courage to lengthen my stride, to
try harder, focusing on the merits of God.
We are all blessed because we know her.
Grandma Joyce
You can’t go hungry around her, spiritually or physically. She’s
always doin’ in the kitchen.
Every one of her grandchildren have sat on her kitchen counter
with a mixing spoon and helped her cook, make rolls, cookies,
cake, candy, or whatever.
She loves her grandchildren!
When they were little, they would run around getting “underfoot”
as children do,
Grandma Joyce would capture them with a hug and tell them,
“You’re a pest!” which would inspire much giggling and more
running.
She would kiss them, and play with them, feed them, and read to
them, love them, and sing to them.
She would endlessly clean up after them,
and frequently have to dunk them in the tub.
It was a full time job which she loved and she did with patience
and a smile, always finding fun in the adventure of
“Grandmothering.”
Grandma Joyce
She loves flowers, red poppies are her favorite.
One day she came over to my house with a little envelope of
seeds.
She asked if I might be able to grow them.
She said “They’re heirloom seeds from Grandma Bagley’s
garden. She used to have them growing under her window. They
were big pink poppies; I just thought they were so beautiful. I’ve
had these seeds in my cupboard for forty years. Do you think you
could get them to grow?”
I love a good challenge,
so I threw them over my back porch rail.
I was more amazed than her. They grew to be four to five feet tall
and had these huge pink blossoms on them.
I was so excited when I told her about them; she was thrilled and
couldn’t wait to see them.
We had friends over for dinner the same day the poppies started
blooming.
Naturally we got on the subject of these forty year old “heirloom”
seeds which I wanted to show them.
Our guests were Matt and Jeannie Burton.
Matt was 6’5” and at work he’s called Officer Burton. He took one
look at Grandma Joyce’s heirloom poppy seeds and said “those
are illegal in California.”
I was shocked and thought he was kidding but he shook his head
and said he could show me how to harvest them. I told him
absolutely not.
Grandma Joyce got quite an earful after they left and we all had a
good laugh about it.
Matt said that if I started driving a Porsche to church, he’d know
my poppies were doing really well. To this day, when he sees us
he’ll wave and smile, then scan the parking lot around us. It’s a
standing joke.
Grandma Joyce
Camping with the Andersons, I can’t remember a camping trip
without Grandma Joyce’s scones. We eat like royalty when we
camp.
Grandma Joyce and Papa have perfected the art of camping on
all levels.
One year at Yosemite, everyone was there; we were all sitting
around the campfire when someone shouted “Bear!”
I’ve never seen Joyce move so fast.
She won the foot race to the motor home, out-distancing her
fastest grandchild by at least three feet.
When the dust settled we could see Grandma Joyce, Wendi and
her kids all looking out of the motor home, the bear was gone
(probably scared of being trampled) and I don’t remember them
coming out for s’mores later on.
Joyce is just full of surprises.
Through the years Joyce has taught me the importance of family
and priorities and how to choose them.
She has taught me patience, thoughtfulness, tolerance, culture
and the value of quality.
She has accepted me into her home and her heart with open
arms.
She has taught me eternal principles through example.
I am still learning. I am still trying because my love and respect
for Joyce runs deep.
Joyce is adventurous.
When Joyce was dating Dad, he taught her how to catch a turkey
for Thanksgiving.
He told her she had to be its friend.
You sit down nice and easy beside it.
Put your arm around its shoulders and grab ahold of its leg.
Then you reach up slowly with your other arm and hold it by the
neck.
When you have a good hold, just stand up and walk away with it.
Picture it with Joyce…
She threw the turkey in the trunk of her car…
We all know there’s more to Joyce than just puppet feathers.
My husband, Kevin, is becoming more and more like his dad as
the years march on.
Occasionally I’ll share this with Joyce and she’ll look at me and
with a twinkle in our eyes, she’ll say “I’m so sorry.”
It’s a connection with her that will always produce a smile, for we
love our men, the whole package.
They are the best of the best. We know how blessed we are to
have them as companions.
Grandma Joyce and Papa have provided for us a living example
of Eternal Marriage, of complete devotion.
They have raised four incredibly caring and talented children, who
hold fast to the standards of their Mother, Father and God.
In so doing, they extend countless blessings to many others,
ever increasing that classic touch of Joyce Anderson.
Joyce has come to the end of her earthly trials but her influence
remains here.
We will carry on your legacy Mom.
We will honor your name in all we do because you have loved us
deeply, through word and deed.
We are forever grateful to be a part of your life.
We are sure your Ukulele skills will fit in perfectly with all the
harps.
Happy Mother’s Day, Grandma Joyce.
We love you.
We miss you.
Here is the text of the talk by Brett Anderson - Plan of Salvation:
My dad asked me speak today on our family's testimony of the Plan of
Salvation. We know that we are each the son or daughter of a loving Father in
Heaven. We each existed and lived with Him before we came to this earth to
experience our mortal lives. Before we came to earth, he presented us with a
plan of happiness in which we could choose for ourselves how we would live on
this earth. An important part of God's plan is for us to learn to make correct
choices.
Each of us chose to follow His plan. We each came to this earth by means of
our mortal mother and father and we gained our physical bodies. He gave us
the Light of Christ to help us make righteous choices that would allow us to
return to live with Him. However, because He gave us the ability to choose, He
knew that we would sometimes make choices that are contrary to His will. In
order for us to overcome the effects of these wrong choices, the Father sent His
son Jesus Christ to the earth to atone for our sins. Jesus Christ came to this
earth as the son of God and lived a perfect life. He voluntarily suffered for our
sins, pains, sicknesses, and sorrows. Through His grace and mercy, He can
help us overcome the trials and sadness that we experience in this life. It is the
atonement of Jesus Christ that is the central point of the plan of salvation.
Just as birth and gaining a physical body is part of His plan for us, so is death.
Death is the separation of our temporal body and our eternal spirit. The spirit
continues to live and returns to the Spirit World. It is in the spirit world that we
will continue to learn and prepare to live with our Father in Heaven eternally.
One of the great gifts of our Heavenly Father to all who come to earth is the
resurrection, which is made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Three
days after Christ died on the cross, His spirit was reunited with his glorified,
perfected body that could no longer die. Just as Christ has a perfected,
resurrected body, so too will each of us who have come to live on the earth be
reunited with a perfect body.
After the resurrection, we will each come before our Father in Heaven and be
judged according to our works and the desires of our hearts. It is our goal to live
in a manner such that we can return to the Celestial Kingdom and live eternally
with our Heavenly Father.
Another essential element of our Father's plan for us is to experience the joys of
living together in a family. He provided a way for families to be sealed together
for eternity. The sealing ordinance is a covenant between a man and woman
and our Heavenly Father. This ordinance takes place in the holy temples of
Lord. It is this sealing ordinance that binds families together and allows us to
live together forever.
I have a testimony of Our Heavenly Father's love for and plan for each of us. I
know that he lives and that he knows me personally. I would like to share some
personal experiences from the last two weeks that strengthen this testimony.
Our Heavenly Father has granted me some of his tender mercies. As you have
heard, Michelle and I are expecting our 4th child. With our past pregnancies, we
have always waited until after the 10-week point when we have seen the doctor
and had an initial ultrasound before telling anyone in the family. With this
pregnancy, we felt very prompted that we needed to tell our parents early. It
was almost two weeks ago that we told Mom about our pregnancy and she was
overjoyed with the news. I know that it was a loving Heavenly Father who
knows me and my family personally who prompted us to share this news with
Mom.
Then this past Monday evening we had Family Home Evening. We had
intended to tell the kids about the pregnancy, but as is often the case with
Family Home Evening and young kids, it didn't quite go as planned and the
moment just didn't seem right, so we didn't tell them. Afterwards, we were all
sitting at the kitchen table eating a cookie and it was peaceful. I took the
opportunity to talk with the kids and I was prompted to talk with them about the
eternal nature of families and about the plan of salvation. I taught them about
the pre-mortal life and that there was a another member of our family who was
waiting to come to earth.
It was during the night early Tuesday morning that we learned of Mom's passing.
When the kids woke, we had the opportunity to rehearse with them again the
eternal nature of families. We taught them that just like we have a new child
living with Heavenly Father and waiting to come to our family, that Grandma is
now in the Spirit World waiting for us to come and join her and that she is
reunited with others of her family who have gone before her. It was a peaceful
experience telling my kids of their grandmother's passing having just spoken of
the plan of salvation the night before.
It is through my knowledge of the plan of salvation that make such a trying time
easier to bear. I know that Our Father in Heaven lives and that he loves each
one of us. I know that he grants unto each one of us tender mercies that testify
to us of His love. We each love Mom and I testify that she still lives and that we
will be with her again some day.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Grandma Joyce
Grandma Joyce was an amazing lady and I am extremely blessed to be part of her family and have part of her in me. I find new ways each day how I am like her. I never really realized it before, but there is a lot of who I am because of who she was. I love her so much and I will always keep her in my heart!
Lauren Olsen
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Joyce Anderson...My Extraordinary FRIEND
F = FAMILY. Family meant everything to her. She was the FIRST to be wherever help was needed. She had
FEELINGS of compassion for those needing a lift in life.
R = She RADIATED friendship. She was a REAL person, never pretending to be someone other than who she was.
She was RECEPTIVE to the Spirit. She will REIGN as a Queen in Heaven.
I = Although she was a quiet and unassuming she made an IMPACT wherever she was able to use
her talents. She was IMAGINATIVE. She could make something beautiful out of junk! .
E = ENERGETIC had to be her middle name. She always found ideas to try, places to go, good things to eat, and
fun things to do. Even when she wasn't feeling all that well she was ready to go and do.
N = Joyce NEVER gossiped. She could be counted on to keep a confidence. She was an extremely NICE person.
She was quiet and did NOT seek attention.
D = DEAR, beloved, and cherished by family and friends. She was DELIGHTFUL and congenial to those around her.
She was a DEVOTED wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, aunt, and friend. May her memory never be
DIMINISHED in our hearts.
By Pat Jensen
FEELINGS of compassion for those needing a lift in life.
R = She RADIATED friendship. She was a REAL person, never pretending to be someone other than who she was.
She was RECEPTIVE to the Spirit. She will REIGN as a Queen in Heaven.
I = Although she was a quiet and unassuming she made an IMPACT wherever she was able to use
her talents. She was IMAGINATIVE. She could make something beautiful out of junk! .
E = ENERGETIC had to be her middle name. She always found ideas to try, places to go, good things to eat, and
fun things to do. Even when she wasn't feeling all that well she was ready to go and do.
N = Joyce NEVER gossiped. She could be counted on to keep a confidence. She was an extremely NICE person.
She was quiet and did NOT seek attention.
D = DEAR, beloved, and cherished by family and friends. She was DELIGHTFUL and congenial to those around her.
She was a DEVOTED wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, aunt, and friend. May her memory never be
DIMINISHED in our hearts.
By Pat Jensen
Joyce became part of the Staples family even before I was born. My mother Frances, went to work for Bert Salisbury to take care of his little baby daughter when his wife passed away unexpectedly. Joyce was only 5 or 6 months old at the time. Eventually, my grandmother, Lottie Sorenson, married Bert and they combined their two families.
Joyce was just a few years older than my brother Tony. She spent a lot of her growing up years at our home in Central. She tended both Tony and myself when we were small children.
Joyce always held a special place in my mother's heart. Mother was always so proud of Joyce and the beautiful lady she became. Mom and Dad were always excited when they knew "Jodie" and her family were coming home for a visit. Mom spent many hours baking bread, stocking the fridge with COKE and making other good things to eat. They always enjoyed Joyce and her family.
When Joyce was a little girl, she couldn't say Frances so she called Mom "Mamma Fa Fa". In later years my mom would get so tickled when people who didn't know them would comment on how much they looked liked sisters. I truly believe God meant them to be sisters.
Joyce's passing is a tremendous loss to all of her family. I think it would be hard to imagine the joyous reunion on May 5th Joyce had with all of her family that have been anxiously waiting for her to come home. I like to believe Mom, Dad and my brother Tony were among the first ones she greeted.
Dear Joyce,
We thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new.
But that is nothing new.
We thought of you yesterday,
And days before that too.
We think of you in silence,
We often speak your name.
Now all we have is memories,
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake,
With which we'll never part.
The Saviour has you in his keeping,
We have you in our hearts.
Love always,
Susan Outzen
Monday, May 11, 2009
My Friend
Joyce was and still is my very best friend. We were like sisters and I will miss being able to call her and be with her; I look forward to a grand reunion in the years to come.
We spent many happy hours together during the years we knew each other either at her home or mine, shopping, a movie, Yosemite over Memorial Day, Relief Society functions, etc. Oh and how about those hilarious evenings playing Mexican Train. I think the first time I played that game was at the Jensens in Parowan. Joyce and Ray invited me to go with them on one of their visits. Even though I am single I have never felt out of place with the Andersons or any of my other married friends.
I remember one year at Yosemite Joyce and Ray brought a little pink bike with them. I always had three or four of my grandchildren with me and this particular year Caralee's daughter Marisa was there. She learned to ride a bike on that pink bike. I have a cute picture of her with her helmet on standing by the bike. Marisa is now 25, oh how fast the years go by. I am trying to remember how long Joyce and I have been friends. It must be over 20 years.
There are so many memories there would not be room enough to write them all. I just want to say thank you to Joyce and her family for always making me feel a part of their family and especially this past week.
With Love,
Karen Wade
We spent many happy hours together during the years we knew each other either at her home or mine, shopping, a movie, Yosemite over Memorial Day, Relief Society functions, etc. Oh and how about those hilarious evenings playing Mexican Train. I think the first time I played that game was at the Jensens in Parowan. Joyce and Ray invited me to go with them on one of their visits. Even though I am single I have never felt out of place with the Andersons or any of my other married friends.
I remember one year at Yosemite Joyce and Ray brought a little pink bike with them. I always had three or four of my grandchildren with me and this particular year Caralee's daughter Marisa was there. She learned to ride a bike on that pink bike. I have a cute picture of her with her helmet on standing by the bike. Marisa is now 25, oh how fast the years go by. I am trying to remember how long Joyce and I have been friends. It must be over 20 years.
There are so many memories there would not be room enough to write them all. I just want to say thank you to Joyce and her family for always making me feel a part of their family and especially this past week.
With Love,
Karen Wade
Sunday, May 10, 2009
I was so glad the funeral was on a Saturday so that it was easier for all of Joyce's dear friends from near and far to come and celebrate her many accomplishments. The thoughts expresssed by the speakers were very uplifting for me. When Kerry and I moved into the ward having only been married a couple of years and expecting our first child, we were welcomed warmly by many of the established 7th ward, including Joyce and Ramon. She worked with me in one of my first callings in Primary and her calm confidence helped me get over a lot of fears I had. Through the years I loved the classes she taught at homemaking meetings and her "You can do it!" attitude. Of course she was a genius with the food and made everything seem easy and it was always delicious. We will miss Joyce's smiling hello to us sitting on our couch each Sunday. We were fortunate to be able to know her. Our hearts go out to all the family for their great loss.
Sincerely,
Kerry and Claudia Mellor
Sincerely,
Kerry and Claudia Mellor
Thursday, May 7, 2009
My memories of Joyce
I have so many wonderful memories of Joyce it is hard to select just a few. It seems like they all have one thing in common; they all involve an act of service to me, many times involving food. She made me feel like I was one of her sons and she was "mothering" me. Trips with the youth to the snow at Dodge Ridge for tubing, with Joyce providing hot chocolate and chili. Camping trips to Yosemite and being handed a plate with food on it anytime I went near the Anderson's campsite at meal time; which seemed to happen quite a bit. A youth camping trip to Lassen National Park that got snowed out in July. The steaks for dinner the first night were back in the freezer in San Jose, but Joyce created a great meal for us anyway from our pooled food supply. After getting snowed out and returning home with our soggy tents, sleeping bags and clothes, Joyce fed us the steaks at a picnic at Lone Hill Park.
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