Joyce Evelyn Bates

Joyce was born in Seattle, Washington to parents Lynn and Vesta Morrell. She attended Renton High School and then worked at Boeing, proud of the fact that she delivered a million dollar check for the Boeing 707 test model.

Joyce married John (Jack) A. Bates in 1955 and moved to Portland in 1959, where they raised their kids, Tari and Eric in the Rockwood neighborhood. She became an active parent at Portland Christian schools and member of Gateway Baptist Church.

In 1973, Joyce donated one of her kidneys to her son Eric, one of the first kidney transplant patients at new OHSU kidney unit. After losing her husband to cancer in 1975, Joyce went to work as a secretary, notably at Oregon Realty and Bonneville Power, before retiring to live with her son Eric, who died in 2001.

As one family member put it, Joyce was a woman of character, as well as being one. She was charismatic and elegant, lighting up a room with her laugh. Joyce loved entertaining and gardening as well as being an unconditional loving mother and grandmother. She was also a lifelong advocate and lover of dogs, taking up dog sitting in recent years in her home in Gresham and becoming a dedicated and beloved member of the Prime Movers group of Good Shepherd Community Church in Boring.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; son, Eric; sister, Phyllis Timmons; and nephew, Ron Timmons. She is survived by her loving daughter, Tari Card and her husband Jim; devoted grandsons, Jordan and Keaton Card; brother-in-law, Dr. Daniel Timmons; nephew, Loren Timmons; and her very special niece, Julie Timmons.

As hard as it was to see her go, her family feels blessed with the comfort of friends and family, as well as a lifetime of wonderful memories, unconditional love and the peace of knowing we will see her again one day.

A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb.11 at Good Shepherd Community Church, 28986 SE Haley Rd, Boring, OR

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to The Northwest Dog Project. www.northwestdogproject.org