As written by
Carolyn Scroggins Schacht
Joyce Maxine Shaddy was born on March 19, 1923 to Bonnie Ruby Taylor Shaddy and Harley Shaddy. Ravola Harlene (later in high school she was nicknamed Penny) and Kenneth Shaddy followed. Later Bonnie and Harley divorced. Bonnie married John Fox.
The depression hit and the family lived on John Fox’s family farm in Idaho. In 1932-1933 they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where John Fox, an electric by trade, got a job working on the Boulder Dam. After the Boulder Dam was completed the family attended United States President Roosevelt’s dedication ceremony. Joyce, Ravola and Kenneth attended the 5th Street elementary school (5th street being Las Vegas Blvd now). When the dam was completed the family moved to California for awhile and moved back to Las Vegas. The children also attended Las Vegas High School where decades later Joyce’s great granddaughter Diorra Shelton attended the same high school. During Joyce’s time in high school in Las Vegas she became a swimmer and won swimming competitions in P.E. class. The war broke out and the family moved to northern California.
Being divorced from her first husband Grant Scott, Joyce met and married James Douglas Scroggins who was a U.S. Marine. Like all military personnel James was deployed overseas to fight in the war. At one point James was stationed in China. Joyce and by this time James Douglas Scroggins II (Born March 18, 1944) and Carolyn Joyce Scroggins (Born March 17, 1946) were 4 years old and 2 years old respectively would join James in China. However everyone needed vaccinations before shipping overseas. Joyce would try to take different routes to the military base where the children would receive inoculations in preparations for their overseas trip. However she was not successful in fooling the children as to where she was taking them and soon as they recognized a certain landmark they both started crying because they knew what was ahead for them, SHOTS! Once on ship it was a difficult time for Joyce with two small children and she was afraid that one would sneak away and fall overboard. On one occasion the children were a little too quite so Joyce went to investigate. Ops! Too late, young James had already cut Carolyn’s hair, cut to the scalp in some places. Carolyn was a blonde baby and James light brown hair. Once they were in China the Chinese people were staring at the children because blonde hair and light brown hair was something they were not used to seeing.
After 2 years in China the Americans were being evacuated out of China. Joyce and James and the children were on the last ship out of China. It broke Joyce’s heart that their “house-boy” (as they were called at that time) of two years begged her to take him and his family with her.
The war ended and James was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California. Young James and Carolyn attended school from elementary through high school in Oceanside, California. Joyce worked as a clerk at the naval hospital on the marines’ military base in the medical records department for about 20 years. Sadly Joyce and James’ marriage dissolved.
Joyce met and married Robert (Bob) Hightower. They were married in a ceremony at the Union Plaza Hotel on Fremont Street, Las Vegas, Nevada. By this time both the children were adults and both lived in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ironically young James turned out to be a darn good barber. Carolyn worked for the State of Nevada as a clerk for the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Joyce was a joiner. She belonged to several bowling teams over the years and has a handful of 200 and 225 bowling score pins (a pretty darn good bowler). She belonged to the Emblem Club of Oceanside and later the Emblem Club of Escondido, the OGAC, Civitan Club, The Red Hats, and the Los Caballeros horse club. She was very active in these organizations and held several different officer positions in the clubs.
Joyce and Bob both retired and started traveling around the United States. Not exactly “snow birds” but they did travel in the warmer months.
Sadly Bob passed away and Joyce continued to live in Oceanside, California. She had many friends that she met through the clubs she belonged to and continued to have an active life.
In 2008 Joyce came to live with her daughter Carolyn in Las Vegas, Nevada where she stayed for ten years. Sadly, at the age of 95 she passed away from injuries she sustains from a fall. She was loved by her family and will be missed.
Author,
Carolyn Scroggins Schacht
