A. Joyce Aney

A. Aney Obituary

Joyce Aney left this world on Thursday, July 5 2018 after a life well lived.

Joyce’s many joys and talents included singing, international and gourmet cooking, hiking, sewing, quilting and beadwork. She gained great pleasure from theater, opera, family gatherings and her faith.

Joyce supported basic human rights and justice for people of all races, religions, nationalities, gender identities and sexual orientations – everyone. She put this belief into action with her private and public actions, providing great models for her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

She was a proud Oregonian, born in Marshfield (Coos Bay) to Donald Elden Johnson and Ruby Barnes Johnson. The family moved to Hillsboro in 1939 and Stanfield in 1945, where she attended elementary and high school before moving to Hermiston in 1953 and graduating from Hermiston High School in 1954. She met the love of her life, Warren W. Aney, Jr. at a church camp at Anthony Lake at age 14.

She attended the Eastern Oregon College of Education for two years after high school, and then married Warren in 1956 in Stanfield Presbyterian Church. They moved to Corvallis where Warren attended Oregon State College and she managed the college bookstore camera counter. In 1958, on the day after Warren graduated, she gave birth to their first child, Bill.

After living for short periods near Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort Lewis, Washington, the family moved to The Dalles where daughter Julie was born in 1959. Warren’s career took the family to Portland, Corvallis and La Grande, and son John was born in Portland in 1965. The family included foster daughter, Pam Chase, who remained part of their lives until Pam’s passing in 2017.

Joyce was an active church member and leader wherever they lived, including Presbyterian churches in The Dalles, Portland, Corvallis, La Grande and Beaverton. She served as a deacon, choir member, elder, youth and young adult group leader and delegate to the General Assembly, and most recently provided aid and comfort to the elderly and ill through ministries at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Beaverton.

She worked as store clerk, travel agent and tour guide while running a warm and loving household.
She believed in education and returned to Eastern Oregon State College to complete her schooling, graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Joyce died at a foster care facility near her home, 10 years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

She is survived by husband Warren who was her partner in life, faith and love, her sister Lela Keim, children Bill Aney, of Pendleton, Julie Deeds, of Portland, and John Aney, of Lake Oswego, grandchildren Lindsay (Aney) Chiono, Robert Street, Christina Street, Jordan Aney, Sam Aney, Sasha Aney, Candace Chase, Carmel Chase and great-grandchildren Micah and Phoebe Aney. Her younger brother, Donald Johnson, preceded her in death.

The family wants to especially thank Shonda Johnson at S & S Elite Care in Portland for the loving and dedicated care she gave to Joyce over her last 30 months.

The following is an excerpt from a piece Joyce wrote and shared with her family shortly after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease:

PLEASE REMEMBER ME AS ONE
WHO CARES DEEPLY,
GLORIES IN OUR FRIENDSHIP

REMEMBER ME AS COMPASSIONATE,
CREATIVE, GIVING SOUL
WHO LOVES HER LIFE

AS IT IS, BUT NOT AS IT WILL BECOME

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. on August 4, 2018 at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Beaverton. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to More Light Presbyterians (mlp.org)

Celebration of Life

1:00 PM ,Saturday, August 4, 2018
Southminster Presbyterian Church
Beaverton, OR

Services

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One reply on “A. Joyce Aney”

My deepest sympathy for your loss. May Jehovah, the God of all comfort, strengthen and comfort you with His promise to swallow up death forever, wiping the tears from our faces. (Isa. 25:8; 2Cor. 1:3) Peace to you during this difficult time.