Joyce Ann Jones
March 10, 1933 ~ August 11, 2021
Joyce A. Jones, 88, loving mother and friend, died Wednesday, August 11, 2021.
Visitation will begin at 12:00 pm; Funeral Service will be at 1:00 pm, Friday, August 13, 2021, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary. Graveside Service will follow at Sunset Lawns Cemetery, El Dorado, KS.
Preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Margery Shaner; husband, Richard L. Jones; sisters, Norma Daniels, Betty Jackson; brothers, Mike Shaner, Herb Shaner. Survived by her daughters, Tammy (Keith) Bennett of Hampshire, IL, Michelle (Ned) Heminger of Columbus, OH; son, Brian Jones of Wichita, KS; grandchildren, Brad (Arin) Bennett, Ashley (Alyssa Rochford) Bennett, Drew McClellan, Cheyenne Jones; great-grandchildren, Ava Lewis, Owen and Leo Bennett; sisters-in-law, Rita Shaner, Charlene Shaner; beloved nieces and nephews.
A memorial has been established with: Alzheimer's Association, Central & Western Kansas, 1820 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67214.
Joyce grew up in Oil Hill, KS, with Herbert and Margie Shaner. Margie passed away when Joyce was only 5 years old. This left Joyce with her two cherished sisters, Betty and Norma. Her dad, Herbert, then married Neomi “Bea” Shaner, and she was blessed with two brothers, Herb and Mike. Joyce was a good student and active in school sports, chorus, and pep club.
Joyce married Richard L. Jones, her high school sweetheart, while he was serving in the Army during the Korean War. Soon two daughters, Tamara "Tammy" and then Michelle came along, followed by a son, Brian, ten years later. The family moved around the country quite a bit through the years before Richard passed away in 1979. Tammy and Michelle grew up and moved away, so Joyce brought Brian back to her home state to reconnect with grandparents and other family and friends.
Though moving can be disruptive, Joyce had a knack for turning new houses into homes. She was the constant that supported and guided her family. Along the way, Joyce made many friends that she corresponded with over the years and after settling back down in Wichita, was able to reconnect with the “Oil Hill” gang in El Dorado - Joyce P. (her BFF for life), Jerry, Pat, Marlene, and numerous other lifelong friends. Making connections with others was her forte.
Joyce was a great cook! Hearty homecooked meals satisfied her family’s soul, as well as their stomachs! Some favorite dinners were beef stroganoff, pork chops and noodles, smoked brisket, minestrone soup, and of course, lasagna. Joyce was well known for her perennial sweet tooth. Some of her family’s favorite desserts included homemade peach cobbler, every kind of pie imaginable, and crème puffs. A couple of her all-time favorites included tapioca pudding and Raspberry Pretzel salad, her “go to” pot luck contribution. Canning pickled beets and making strawberry preserves that could be savored all year long were favorite activities.
By example, Joyce taught her family how important it is to “put your best face forward” each and every day. She spent much time and effort on fixing her hair “just right” before heading out the door. Joyce was also big on ironing all her clothes long after everyone else had given it up. Even when residing in an assisted living facility, she begged to borrow an iron and ironing board so that her clothes would be neat as a pin. Her sweet friend, Glenda, even took some of Joyce’s blouses to iron when it became unsafe for mom to do it herself. Joyce knew that first impressions impress!
Joyce worked for orthodontists Rogers, Duncan, and Delihay as a receptionist for about fifteen years, and she enjoyed the special vacations they arranged for their employees with co-workers that became treasured friends, such as MaryAnn.
Through the years, grandchildren, and then great-grandchildren, came along. Granddaughter Cheyenne formed an inseparable bond with Joyce as they chatted on the way to chorus and friend’s homes and lived their daily lives in Bel Aire. Though living far away from her other grandchildren, Joyce always kept up with Brad’s, Ashley’s, and Drew’s sporting, band, academic, and then career activities and choices. Enjoying outings to the zoo and birthdays with great-grandkids, Ava, Owen, and Leo were special treats Joyce treasured as the years passed by.
Joyce had many hobbies. She was an accomplished painter, a seamstress, and a crafter, and was a nature lover. She so enjoyed watching the wildlife wherever she visited, and loved learning about new flowers and plants. Roses and sunflowers were some of ther favorites. Joyce was an animal enthusiast. She nurtured many dogs and cats throughout the years, including some of the not so conventional ones, such as the tarantulas, scorpions, and rats, that Brian might bring home. Joyce was an avid reader, usually always immersed in a romantic novel written by Nicholas Sparks or Danielle Steele.
Her family was Joyce’s lifeblood. It was what Joyce cared about most. Helping out family and friends, many times joined by her niece and comrad, Vicki, allowed her kind and caring nature to shine. Even when confined to assisted and memory care facilities, she entertained her caregivers with her sarcasm and sometimes silly nature. Joyce was a fighter to the end.
A loving, caring, and kind life well-lived and enjoyed with family and friends-that is Joyce’s legacy. She will be missed.
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To Brian and all of your family, our deepest sympathy and condolences to all of you. We were sad to hear of your Mom’s passing and remember the many years we were neighbors with you just a few houses away. You (Brian) and our daughter Charlotte rode the school bus to the corner together for a while. My most recent memory was of Joyce’s evening walks around our block before she moved to her daughters home in Illinois. I picked up her baton when the gym and everything else closed down in 2020 and have walked many brisk miles most days of the week, meeting old and new neighbors along the way. May the Lord bless you with peace in her absence. Marge Wortz