Joyce Orris Obituary

Rest in Peace Har-Brack 1957 Classmate!

Aunt Joyce,
Aunt Joyce

Today I remember with love and gratitude, Aunt Joyce, who as kids was more like a sister to me than an Aunt. Being only nine years older, she was my companion in childhood, and I was blessed to grow up with her close by.
As the first grandson and first nephew, I was like royalty in our family, surrounded by the love of two uncles and two aunts on my mother´s side. Among them, Aunt Joyce held a special place in my heart. She was a natural leader in the church-guiding the choir and congregation, lifting her voice in hymns, and offering solos week after week. Her music was not only a gift to the congregation, but a testament to her faith and spirit. When my dad passed, she rewrote the words to "A Soldier Coming Home" and sang it at his Memorial Service with such tenderness that the heavens paused to listen.
I have such vivid memories of those days. I once joined the choir-not because I could sing (because I surely couldn´t carry a tune), but because it meant I could ride along with her in that shiny black ´57 Oldsmobile on our way to choir practice. She would sometimes send me to Digiacobbe's for a Pepsi and a bag of Wise potato chips, that we would share while playing Old Maids, Authors, or listening to the radio. Simple moments, yet unforgettable treasures.
She was quite special-not only as an aunt, but as a steadfast presence in my life. She was the only Aunt that remained local whereas my other Aunt and two Uncles moved out of state, and that made her influence all the more enduring.
Her legacy is not only in the songs she sang or the church she served, but in the love, guidance, and memories she left with me and with all who knew her. I will always carry her in my heart, with gratitude for the true gift she was to my life.