Joyce Ann Grant-Worley

Joyce was born July 17, 1950, in Portland, Oregon, the daughter of Joseph Vernon Grant and Jean Elloise Grant (Gillette).

Joyce graduated from Parkrose High School, Portland, in 1968, then went on to Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis, OR, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Home Economics in 1973, and later a master's degree from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, in 1979. As a child, Joyce moved with her parents from Seattle, WA, to Idaho Falls, ID, and finally Spokane, WA, where her younger sister Lisa Ahlstrom (Grant) was born and where she spent the majority of her elementary school years before her family returned to Portland.

Joyce married Bruce Lowell Worley on May 14, 1977, at her grandparents’ house in North Portland. Joyce met Bruce in Corvallis while she attended OSU. Joyce and Bruce bought their first house in the North Portland Overlook Neighborhood in 1975. Joyce was very proud of her house, remodeled it many times, and lived in it for 45 years until 2020, when she moved to Gresham. Joyce and Bruce were married until Bruce’s death from his seven-year battle with cancer in 1992. Joyce herself was a recent breast cancer survivor after her treatment in 2023. Joyce and Bruce have two loving children, Jean Schindler (Worley), born 1983, and Brian Worley, born 1984. Joyce cherished her only grandson, Casey Schindler, born in 2018.

Joyce worked as a vital records manager at the Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority. Joyce retired in March 2016, after she had made many friends and colleagues, and received achievement awards for her over 35 years of public service work to her state and community. Prior to Joyce’s public health career, she held many jobs–she first worked summers picking beans, was a “fry-cook” at an A&W drive-in restaurant, and worked at a local Safeway bakery. After college, Joyce took a full-time job as a manager of the fabrics and crafts section of Fred Meyer and worked in a total of six stores over seven years. Joyce worked as a research analyst for four years at the Oregon Employment Department before she transferred to vital records.

Joyce enjoyed time with her extended family, where she would visit, tell stories, and play card games. She was an expert of genealogy, kept extensive family records, connected with relatives, and volunteered at the Oregon Genealogical Society. Joyce was passionate about her family heritage, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Métis, and Scottish ancestry. Joyce was connected to the Native American community in Portland, served on a diversity committee at the Oregon Health Authority, attended powwows, and supported her children in Native American youth programs like Salmon Camp.

Joyce enjoyed Broadway musicals and would join friends at Keller Auditorium for many annual season tickets. She also very much enjoyed photography, scrapbooking, and crafting. Joyce would quip that she was very good at collecting craft supplies and leaving her projects unfinished. Joyce enjoyed travelling to new places around the world, particularly cruises focused on her love of technology and computer products. Joyce loved food and trying new restaurants–lifelong favorites being Coca-Cola and chocolate cake.

Joyce volunteered for many years with the Boy Scouts of America; her service culminated as Scoutmaster of Troop 71, where she supported her son as he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Joyce especially loved to collect and build Lego block sets with her friends and playdates with her grandson.

Remaining to cherish Joyce’s memory are daughter Jean Schindler (Worley), son-in-law Monty Schindler, son Brian Worley, daughter-in-law Heidi Worley (Erickson), grandson Casey Schindler, and sister Lisa Ahlstrom (Grant). Preceding in death are husband Bruce Lowell Worley, and parents Joseph Vernon Grant and Jean Elloise Grant (Gillette).

Memorial services will be held July 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Skyline Memorial Gardens, 4101 NW Skyline Blvd, Portland, OR 97229.

Memorial donations in Joyce’s memory may be directed to the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, the Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families, Native American Youth and Family Center, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (Salmon Camp), Scouting America, Genealogical Forum of Oregon, or your local charity of choice.