Joy Lee Essary

Joy grew up in Oak Cliff and graduated from Adamson high school when she was 16. She had a happy life in a loving home where people laughed often. She played the accordion in a cowboy band and enjoyed the youth group at Oak Cliff Presbyterian Church. Joy was employed at Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages in Dallas where she met the love of her life, Maurice Aubrey Essary and they married on December 14, 1951. During their 57 years of marriage they moved all over Texas and lived in Edmond, Oklahoma and St. Louis, Missouri, retiring to Dripping Springs and Austin. Joy lovingly raised four daughters, served as a Girl Scout leader, an elder in the Presbyterian Church and enjoyed selling real estate. She also liked playing bridge, dominoes, crossword puzzles, and traveling.

Joy Lee leaves behind to mourn her passing devoted daughters Debbie (and Steve) Morse, Beth Everett, Kathy (and Ken) Baker and Jennifer (and Terry) Sims as well as 9 grandchildren, David Morse (Wendy), Daniel Morse (Paige), Brandon Everett, Aubrey Gotte (Jeff), Natalie Baker, Amber Russey (Rob), Brian Lugo, Erin Campbell (Eric), and Abby Sims and 10 great-grandchildren, Avery Morse, Zachary Morse, Braddock Gotte, Bradley Johnson, Logan Russey, Evan Russey, Olivia Russey, Peyton Campbell, Parker Campbell, and Aurora Lugo and many other family members and friends.

The family wishes to thank her caregivers and Hospice staff at Brookdale Gaines Ranch for their devotion and care.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Lakeway Church, 2203 Lakeway Blvd., Lakeway, Texas, 78734 or to Brookdale Hospice, 3636 Executive Center Drive, #210, Austin, Texas, 78731.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be at 1:00 P.M., Wednesday, June 27, 2018 in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home with Pastor Larry Coulter officiating. Interment will follow at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park.