Joyce Corrine Mantel

In 1984, Joyce and I got closer to each other, and we fell perfectly in love, so much that we wanted to be together. Today it is a pleasure for me, and also on behalf of Joyce, to share our love story with all of you that are present.

On October 24, 1984, Joyce came to live with me in Holland. I will never forget the moment that Joyce came in at the baggage claim, and we had a wonderful reunion and started to live in the small city of Sassenheim. We lived in a nice apartment right in the city center, and Joyce loved it from the very beginning.

The introductions to my kids was very nice, and they liked Joyce right from the start, and their love grew deeper as time went on. I received the same love from Joyce’s family too.

After we settled we enjoyed living together in Holland and we were always together. I continue to do my job, and Joyce spoiled me with delicious dinners. She enjoyed discovering the area around where we lived. The old reformed Church across the street, and the castle in the keukenhof. I enjoyed showing her the country around one special was to see the closure dijk what made the southern look into the lake nice was the every sprig outside flower garden called the Keukenhof, millions of daffodil tulips hyacints in full bloom, flowering in full glory, a very special place we went was the Chinese restaurant in a small city called Lisse; it was so good and we went so often that her favorite waiter called her mama. Twice a year we visited Joyce parents; the 5 years there were a pleasure, and it was extra special when we got visitors from home, including Marcy, Florine and Eric.

We often went to our family gatherings, and everyone loved Joyce. She was my love and she made make me happy and proud. Joyce met and loved my parents; she was happy to meet them, even though it was for a short time. My father passed away in 1985, and my mother in 1987. Joyce and my mother had a special relationship, together the spoke a mixed English and Dutch with each other. You could see the love between the two of them.

During our time in Holland, we went twice to Switzerland to visit Joyce Weiss’ relatives. Joyce had told me a very interesting family story about her Weiss family heritage. Her grandpa in Boise moved to America in 2006, followed a little later by his wife. After the earthquake, they evacuated to Walla Walla, and later to Boise.

From childhood Joyce was fascinated about his offspring. No one in the family no a lot about them, only some pictures and the name of the City (Zug). So Joyce was sort of not happy with the unknown, and decided to find out more about her family heritage. She took plane to Zurich and the train Zug. She loved to tell the following story: i walked out of the train, station and pretty soon i saw some trucks with the name “Weiss Wine Company” on it. and stepped onto the property, rang the bell, told the person who greeted her at the door who she was. The door closed, and she heard hushed talking. Finally the door opened again, and they invited her in. They introduced themselves to each other. The brave and proud Joyce achieved her goal and brought the lost family back together, through this, many family members came to visit in America.

After 5 pleasant years in Holland, we moved back to America. We got settled in our Bluff road home in Sandy, and enjoyed our life together with each other and happy to be back and close to mother Fay and father Bill and the kids, Joyce continued to be spoiled by me with the most beautiful lily flowers. She loved them, and was always extremely thankful. Joyce, with her smile, would express her gratitude and thanks to me. She would also get more other flowers out our garden. We enjoyed having party’s with family and friends, and tending to our dream vegetable garden. I kept Joyce busy with cooking fresh food dinners from the field. This was the life she loved; she enjoyed being inside, as well as outside on the deck and visiting with me in the yard.

What comes now is how we see Joyce’s full love, passion, and extra care for her aging parents, especially for mom Fay after her stroke until her death. We would often invite Bill and Fay for dinner or a whole day and they loved to be with us. After mother Fay passed away in 1993, she took care of Bill. Joyce cared for him by taking picking him up have him for 3 days, spoil him as much she coed , Bill was sitting on the deck counting how many cars were passing by, or how many planes were in the sky until he would fall asleep.

During this wonderful love life, I was also thrilled listen to Joyce when she told about her children; Jane, Craig, Marcy, Eric and Tracy growing up, listening to Joyce makes me see and feel how very happy she was doing for her kids the best she was able to, still happy when she was talking about that time, happy to see how a devoted and loving mothers she was when her children were crowing up and now as adults, same devoted love, visiting them and they would call often as well. She loved her small cell phone, were I programed in the kids numbers. This was very good and heartwarming for her, all what she have to scroll down or by incoming call open the phone and bingo when I get calls from our kids in Holland I would ask Joyce, do you want to talk to Anja-Siebren or Miranda? She would always say “yes please”.

As always in between happy times, sadness can come hit us. In 1999, Eric passed away, father Bill in 2000 en in 2005 followed by Jenny in Holland. Later in 2011, we also lost Marcy. We were able to strengthen and help each other during these difficult times. During the happy “Bluff Road” years, we planned more trips. We had already started to plan when we lived in Holland. When I mentioned that we should go on a cruise, she said “Oh no Homme, that’s too expensive” (Joyce was not a spender, this was a well-known fact by the family). After further discussion, I said “Joyce we have the money for this. We have to do it now before we are crippled and blind”. So, not only agreed but loved all of it,. We took cruises to the, East Caribbean, Rome-Istanbul –Greece islands- Black see-Odessa- Panama canal-Australia New Zealand- Indonesia _Singapore (Joyce’s favorite). She made a new friend there, Linette Lee, and they wrote and sent picture to each other.

Joyce loved all of this, also we did many visits to Hawaii; Lahaine Shore Maui was absolute Joyce’s favorite. In November 1997, we moved to Gresham and settled into our Victorian home, which was purchased from the Carlson’s. Again, Joyce’s charm affected Janie Carlson and they became great friends. We loved this home, and we enjoyed ourselves. However, we became aware that going up and down the stairs became too much for Joyce. Ten years prior to this our Physician (Dr. Baily) sent Joyce to a specialist to evaluate her balance problems. The specialist diagnosed her with “Spinocerebellar Ataxia”, which affected her balance by weakening the muscles. However, it is a very slow process it effect you more and more when getting older. This was the reason we moved out, and into our newly built home uphill which was one level and was better for Joyce. Then another change came. We were snow birds already, but stayed in Gresham because Joyce wanted to be alert for father (Bill), and to have him over so she could give her love to him. Bill preferred to be spoiled rather than live in the retirement home “The Manor”, which he called the factory or the farm. In 2000, Bill Weiss passed away, and we decided to be residents of Palm Springs Rancho Mirage. Joyce had loved the years we lived over there. Also Sissy Florine lived there, and the climate most of the year was very attractive.

In 2001, we made our last trip to visit the family in Holland and Switzerland.

Back home, Joyce become weaker in the legs. When she walked, she was always hanging on to me. It was fine for me to help Joyce, but 4 blocks, became 3 blocks and then 2 blocks. She tried and tried, but since Joyce could no longer walk, she started using a walker and later a wheelchair. We had many wonderful years until we left our home in 2008 in Rancho Mirage. Through the years, I assisted Joyce with a lot of daily things she was not able to do by herself any more. It was not a problem for me, and I was honored to help her during this time. In 2007, we talked about what would be wise to do. We loved our home, and we loved our independence. However, both of us knew that we had to look for more security for Joyce. So, we decided to try to find a retirement home with a health care facility. In this situation, Joyce’s heart went out to Portland. we both agreed Holladay Park Plaza is where we wanted to go. The result of that was that we became residents of the Plaza on the first of July, 2008.

We lived 4 years, in the newer South Wing in an Independent living apartment on floor 5. Then in 2012, Joyce needed more assistance so we moved to the “Health Care Center”, on floor 3 were we have been together until October 31, 2016. I will express to all of you how the last 8 years have been.

First, we were able to go everywhere local on our own with the town car, which was the most comfortable car for Joyce. We put the wheelchair in the trunk, and we could travel together with ease. Telling more about our stay in the care center room 352 We missed our independency, but helped each other on that.

I also have to tell you, I was very proud of her. She allowed the caretakers to assist her as needed. I was especially proud of her that she never complained about her handicap, being clustered on one seat, and struggled to stand up on her own. She was not sorry for herself in that way but always felt sorry for those who had to help her, I was able to help her out that trauma till she was more in peace with this and helped Joyce a lot, to be more relaxed.

Always happy as Joyce and Homme, we had many good years that we spent together. She was most satisfied in her comfy seat; so good that she was able to thank our father in heaven for the years that the lord give us for more than 30 years, and on the end of our daily prayer, we would always ask for more years to come if possible, what means she was still happy enough to stay with me and it hat was also ok to ask for In a situation like ours, you don’t think every day the end is close. However, this last year even Joyce was doing very well. She was alert, but slowly she lost her appetite, and spent less time reading her kindle. She was always a good sleeper, and she was sleeping more and more. Then the day came when Joyce lost all the power in her legs.

At this moment, we needed a hospital bed and we needed the Legacy Hospice Service, started September 29 Hospice nurse, Carol, and others ,helped Joyce gently with new pain medication and care to the end of her life on October 31, 2016 Even though I saw it coming, it was a terrible shock into my mind, heart, and soul. Really I was so sorry for her, and in the same time I know it is good so she is free of pain and suffering now my Joyce is gone. Now peace came into my heart when I spoke to Joyce in the following way: Should you go first and I remain, One thing I’ll have you know Walk slowly down the path of death, for soon I’ll follow you I’ll want to know each step to take, that I may walk the same. For someday down that lonely road, you’ll hear me call your name.