Joyce Marie Rexwinkel

Joyce was born August 6, 1931 in Chino, California, to Patrick Joseph Ryan and Clara Rose McLeary. Her early years were spent growing up on Cedar Street in Bellflower, California. It was there that she met the love her life, William Rexwinkel. William was the younger brother of Joyce’s neighbor Esther. Joyce and William were married in a small ceremony in Downey on July 16, 1949. July of this year would have been their 75th wedding anniversary.

Joyce and Bill lived in several homes in Lakewood and Bellflower before purchasing their current home on Pearce in 1962. Their home was always a gathering place for family and friends and people always felt welcome whenever they would come over. Joyce never met a stranger. She would make friends with everybody that she met.

Joyce was very social and loved being with family and friends. When we think of the travels they took in their life, the destinations were almost always to visit family and friends- be it in Oregon, Clear Lake, Bakersfield, and more. Certainly one of their most recent favorite spots was Laughlin. Joyce almost always brought home more money than what she started with at the casinos.

Joyce had many lifelong friendships. She loved her high school girlfriends and their husbands. Georgie and Bill, Pat and Jack, Delores and Bill. There were many hours spent together laughing. She also had lasting relationships with former neighbors. Lois and Bob, Bob and Beverly, and many more. And she had a special lifelong relationship with her cousin Elsie and Elsie’s husband Don.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Alice and Alice’s husband Del, her brother-in-law Max, her son Steven and his wife Bea. She is survived by her husband William, her sister, and two sons and their wives. Also surviving are 12 grandchildren and their spouses, 7 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Life is a gift, love is a gift, and when both are bestowed upon you, you have a life well lived. Joyce lived a wonderful life. We celebrate the years we were able to share our lives with her.