Joyce entered this world on February 26, 1925, in Childress, Texas. She was the second child and only daughter of Ennis and Elsie Pistole. Her given name was Flonnie Joyce Pistole. She had one older brother, Thurmond Wayne Pistole, who preceded her in death.
Joyce grew up on a cotton farm in the Panhandle of Texas, surviving multiple droughts. This may account for her dislike of water and her claim that she was part camel. While helping to work the farm, she attended school and even assisted the teachers with instructing the younger students.
In school, Joyce participated in many sports. Her favorite was volleyball which inspired her love for games. She particularly liked basketball and tennis with its high-speed action. On the morning that she passed away, she was watching the French Open on the TV in her room.
Joyce married a young soldier, Hugh Barrett, on October 7, 1944. Hugh was stationed in Panama during the Korean War. Afterwards, the couple moved to Hamilton, OH, where they lived with his family and had two children, Douglas (1950) and Denise (1959). Hugh used the GI Bill to pursue a college degree in Education, taught in Hamilton from 1950 to 1958, moved the family to Buckeye, AZ and taught for two years. They subsequently moved to Phoenix, AZ, for Joyce to pursue her education once Doug and Denise were in school.
Joyce attended ASU and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1964. She taught in the Cartwright School District for 27 years. Joyce loved learning and helped her students excel, especially in reading. She continued to advance her own education by earning a Master’s Degree in Education and came very close to obtaining a Doctorate. She ultimately became a Reading Specialist and was recognized for her work in this field on a statewide basis.
Upon retirement, Joyce and Hugh fulfilled a lifelong dream of moving to Sun City. They purchased a home and joined Bellevue Heights Church, where Joyce served for over 25 years. Joyce was secretary to the Board of Elders, worked in the Church office, and, after the death of Hugh, led the church singles on many adventures around the Valley and the State.
Her love of travel also led Joyce and Hugh around the world. They visited every continent except Antarctica. She walked the Great Wall of China, sailed the rivers of Europe and Russia, and ballooned over the Valley of the Kings in Egypt and the African Veldt in Kenya. Her quest for adventure and seeing new vistas never left her.
Joyce was also an active writer and produced multiple articles for the Sun City newspaper and several local magazines. She recently presented an article at Royal Oaks Bio Buffs on Shirley Temple. She brought along her original Shirley Temple doll which her father gave to her on her sixth birthday.
Joyce was generous with her time and her resources. She tutored students after she retired, volunteered at the hospital and medical center, and generously supported Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Her biggest wish was that those who come after her will continue to help children in need.
She left this world to be with her Savior on June 3, 2018.
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