Joy Shirley Nees

A graveside service will be held on Sunday, November 15, 202 at 3:00 PM at the Plano Mutual Cemetery in Plano, Texas. Pastor Alice Coder will officiate.

A visitation will be held 30 minutes prior at Ted Dickey Funeral Home, located at 2128 18th Street, Plano, Texas.

Joy was born as Joy Shirley McIvor in Wellington, New Zealand on February 25, 1936 and passed away peacefully on November 8, 2020 at the age of 84 from natural causes.

Joy was one of seven children of John Hector McIvor and Marjorie Aimee May Carpenter McIvor of New Zealand.

As a young adult, Joy left New Zealand to explore the world and its many opportunities.

Her first post with the United Nations in New York City was with the office of UN Representative to Canadian Embassy and then as a Staff Secretary to New Zealand Ambassador to USA, Sir Leslie Munro.

After extending his personal letter of recommendation of Joy, as then President of the UN General Assembly, Joy landed a key role as private and personal staff Secretary to the 2nd Secretary General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjold, whom John F Kennedy called the “greatest statesman of our century.”

Joy ventured into the West Indies and across Mexico, served with the British Consulate in San Francisco, and held assignment with the nuclear disarmament conference in Geneva Switzerland.

Upon returning to the US, she met her to be husband, Gary Nees, then a Lieutenant Commander in US Navy.

After marriage, her husband became a commercial pilot and Joy became a real estate agent where they settled in Dallas.

Joy achieved the Top-10 nationwide agents award with Merrill Lynch, and later became an owner-partner with Keller Williams Realty.

In her retirement, Joy loved to play Scrabble and competed as a top ranked competition Scrabble player, with a NASC nationwide ranking of #664.

Joy was so gentle, very kind and yet could be quite firm at the same time.

She is so very thankful for the great care, friendship and love she received over recent years from Tencia Ruiz.

Joy is deeply loved by those she touched and will be sorely missed by her family.

Joy is survived by her son Steven, eldest son Daryl (and daughter in law Tracy Nees), and her granddaughter Alexandra.

Joy has a large family with many sisters and brothers: Ngaire McIvor Keene, Elizabeth McIvor, Rae McIvor Leer, June McIvor Graham, Brian McIvor and Ron McIvor.

Due to Covid related challenges, there will be a small distanced memorial followed by a larger joyous celebration of Joy’s life at a date to be announced.

In lieu of desire to send flowers, please consider giving donations, in Joy’s memory, to Keller Williams Realty Cares at www.kwcares.org.

Ted Dickey Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas has charge of arrangements.