Joyce D. Jolly

Joyce D. Jolly, five-year resident of the Beehive Homes of Bosque Farms, died Sunday, September 19, at the age of 89. Joyce Doctor was born on May 14, 1932 in Wichita Kansas, the first of two children to Lanora (Bottorff) and Morris Doctor. She called Anthony, Kansas, home; went to grade school there, and in 1950 was one of 65 in her graduating class from Anthony High School. In High School Joyce won First Division awards from the Kansas Activities Association in humorous reading as a member of Speech Arts Club. She was a cheerleader, played the French Horn in band, and was an active member of the Thespian Club. She always had a great wit and sense of humor. After high school, Joyce received a certification from the Wichita (Kansas) Business College. She then moved to Chicago, where she began working at NBC. It was there, in 1952, she met the love of her life, M. Russell Jolly. The two of them were married that year on September 6 at the First Christian Church in Anthony, KS. To this union were born three sons, Jeffrey Russell in 1953, Jay Patton in 1955, and Todd Bion in 1961. Russ’s experience in Mass Media and Communications led him to full-time church work in 1961, which included serving in the national offices of the United Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey and New York, NY for 15 years, and as pastor of the Freeport Presbyterian Church in Freeport, KS for 24 years. In Freeport, Joyce served as the duly elected Mayor for many years. She immensely enjoyed listening to Russ, who was an outstanding jazz clarinetist, and her sons in their joint and individual music endeavors. This was especially true of the various Dixieland and Jazz ensemble gigs that became a family tradition. Joyce was a devoted homemaker, wife, and mother, who proudly supported Russ and her children in their many pursuits. She herself was active in the Presbyterian Church as an Elder and committee member for the Presbytery of Southern Kansas. For almost 20 years, Joyce served as the official audio recorder of all proceedings at the annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Russ and Joyce retired to Jemez Springs, New Mexico in 2005. Joyce remained there until shortly after Russ’s death. She moved to Los Lunas in 2014 to be closer to family until her recent passing. As their 61-year love story unfolded, they lived in Chicago, Texas, South Dakota, New Jersey, Kansas, and New Mexico. Joyce travelled hundreds of thousands of miles with Russ, mostly by automobile, rarely missing an opportunity to be together with each other, their children, or grandchildren. As a homemaker, Joyce was an outstanding seamstress who even designed and made daughter-in-law Carol’s wedding dress. She was happiest in the kitchen baking delicious goodies or cooking almost anything, including international recipes, and she liked to grow herbs. Joyce loved to read, especially mystery novels. She was a fine artist who particularly enjoyed sketching barns with pencil or charcoal. She also painted many fine china teacups, plates, and mugs. Joyce leaves a legacy of love for her family and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, her stepfather, Milford G. Powell, and her brother Marsh D. Doctor. Surviving family includes sons Jeffrey R. Jolly and wife Diane of Los Lunas NM; Jay P. Jolly and wife Carol of Santa Fe, NM; Todd B. Jolly and wife, Judi Murio, of San Francisco, CA; seven grandchildren, Joshua (Christina) Jolly, Rebecca (Chad) Simons, Amber Jolly, Amanda Jolly (Nick Sisson), Nicole Jolly, Bryan (Elena) Jolly, and Abigail Jolly (Cody Hutson); and eight great-grandchildren, Isabella, Jaron, Luke, and Phineas Jolly, Nyasha and Simba Jolly Takawira, Henry Russell Jolly-Sisson, and Payten Mae Hutson. Memorial services will be conducted at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque on October 30 at 10:00 a.m., and at the Freeport Presbyterian Church in Freeport, Kansas on a later date, with interment to follow at the Freeport Cemetery. Memorials can be directed to the Freeport Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 194, Freeport, KS 67049.