Joyce Irene Ramey

Joyce was born on May 3, 1937 on her grandparent’s farm in Windsor, Missouri. She was the second child born to her mother, Gladys Irene Davis and her father Paul Clifford Davis. Her parents were school teachers, well-educated and humble folk that raised a family of 5 children in Arkansas. Her siblings, all sharing the same first letter of their names, were Janet, James, John Paul, and Jody. Beloved to her kin, Joyce spent her childhood as a bright and intelligent individual whose kindness and heart were evident in all that she did. She excelled in her schooling while living in Lincoln, Arkansas and eventually moved with her family to Fayetteville, Arkansas where the daunting task of graduating high school was made easier with the support of her classmate Mary Jo Davis, a woman that became her lifelong friend. Joyce graduated from Fayetteville High School at the age of 17 in May of 1954.

In 1952, Joyce met Warren James Ramey at Christ’s Church where her family and the Ramey family faithfully attended service. After a year of roller skating with their friends on Friday nights and watching movies on Saturdays at the local theater, the two fell in love. It was only two years later, after Joyce graduated, that Warren proposed and they were happily married. They remained so for these past 63 years.

After a honeymoon in Memphis, where they saw the Ice Capades together, Joyce and Warren returned to Fayetteville. Joyce had a job selling sheet music and records and her new husband worked as a broadcast engineer for the KGRH radio station and attended school at the University of Arkansas. In November of 1955, the couple was blessed with their first daughter, Kaye Aileen Ramey. After moving to Georgia so that Warren could begin a career with the Federal Aviation Administration, the family went west to Tulsa, Oklahoma and Joyce gave birth to their second daughter, Jennifer Ann Ramey in January of 1963. Their girls, both beautiful like their mother, grew to be compassionate and caring young women.

In 1974, Joyce’s desire to care for others led her to become a licensed practical nurse, where she began the hard work of saving lives. After long nights caring for her family and long days of nursing school, Joyce proudly became an RN at the age of 38. From there she found herself in the service of others, always happy to assist and able to keep calm in the face of chaos commonly found in emergency situations. She worked at both Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa and Baylor Hospital in Grapevine, utilizing her skills as both a critical care and recovery room nurse. When not at work, many would say that the Lord placed people in her path in the most unlikely of circumstances, enabling her to save lives that would have otherwise gone unaided.

In July of 1986, Joyce’s father passed away. At the time, Joyce and Warren were living in Grapevine, Texas where their daughter Jennifer and her newly-wed husband Scott Hensley had moved to start their own family. In 1989, Joyce’s grandson Zachary Hensley was born followed soon after in 1991 by her granddaughter Madison Hensley. Thus, Joyce Ramey hung up her nurse’s cap and became “Grandma Joyce”, falling into the role with a natural ease. Throughout her years as a grandmother, Joyce won the title of “grandma” from more than just her grandchildren. The affectionate term was used by many that met her, as she loved and cared for anyone that crossed her path. To this day, her daughter says that her mother never met a stranger. Her compassion for others extended to all, and all that she met grew to love her.

Joyce conquered breast cancer twice and lived to see the passing of both her ninety-seven year old mother and Kaye, her fifty-two year old daughter. Despite these tragic hardships, she soldiered on and continued to touch others with her kind spirit and radiant smile. Her loquacious nature earned her valued friends, such as Marth Giles, an old neighbor and friend of more than fifty years and the continued friendship of Mary Jo, a bond that lasted nearly seventy years and across state lines. Joyce respected her relationships and spoke only well of those lucky enough to find themselves as a part of her life.

She had a love of sewing, chocolate, and crossword puzzles. Her taste in music was of Josh Groban, Frank Sinatra, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. She loved the beach and wearing sunhats; she loved clip-on earrings and the occasional brooch. She was an avid reader, with a passion for history, and could be found alongside Warren in the Barnes and Nobles café nearly every visit. She baked only the most delicious of deserts and would cook for anyone that asked, though she did once blow up some blueberry muffins. She never missed a school play, soccer game, or graduation when it came to her beloved “grandbabies”. Her wardrobe was colorful and her laugh, contagious. Above all, Joyce was wholeheartedly, cherishingly, loved.

All her life, Joyce was devoutly religious and would want those that heard of her passing to know only that they would meet her again in Heaven. Her legacy will carry on in her family that succeeds her.