Joyce Weaver Friedman

Joyce Weaver Friedman died unexpectedly on June 18, 2025 at the age of 78. She was one of three children born to the late Rollie and L.Nora Weaver of Fallon, Nevada. The family later moved to Gardnerville, Nevada where she attended Douglas High School. She attended the University of Reno, and eventually her path in life drew her to Houston, Texas.

In Houston, Joyce pursued a nursing career and became a registered nurse in 1981. She later became one of the first nurse practitioners in Houston, with a focus in neonatology. Becoming a Level 3 Neonatal Nurse Practitioner was one of her greatest professional accomplishments. She excelled in her career, and eventually moved from patient care to educating future nurses and nurse practitioners at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas in the Texas Medical Center, until retiring in her late 50’s. Caring for infants with severe diagnoses became her passion, and she positively impacted many lives in so doing.

In the late 1960’s while working in Houston, Joyce fell in love and married Fred Aguilar of Santiago, Chile who had moved to Houston to pursue his graduate studies in architecture at Rice University. Together they established their family in Sharpstown, a suburb of Houston, where they raised their two daughters, Marcy and Emily. Joyce was a devoted wife, mother and Catholic. The family was initially parishioners of the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church and later became active parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church when they moved into the house Fred designed in Bellaire, another suburb of Houston. Joyce remained a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul for the last 30 years of her life. After Fred’s passing, Joyce found love again and married Dr. James Friedman. Together they enjoyed retirement, their poodles, and traveled far and wide to amazing destinations such as France, Italy, Russia, Israel and many places throughout the United States.

Joyce loved growing plants and had an exceptional talent for gardening as demonstrated by a beautiful backyard which included many azaleas and Japanese magnolias. She enjoyed watching the cardinals that so often built nests in her pergola, and even had an assortment of backyard box turtles. Joyce was an incredibly fun hostess at the many family gatherings she planned, especially during the holidays, and never missed a detail in dinner settings.

Joyce relished spending time with her family, especially the many moments she spent with her grandchildren. In addition, she enjoyed traveling to visit her family in Nevada, particularly the time spent with her beloved sister Linda Safford and her baby brother Ned Weaver. The three of them enjoyed sharing stories of their time growing up together and of the many goings on of their individual families. Each time she returned to Nevada she made every effort to spend time at Sand Harbor Beach located in Lake Tahoe. In all her travels, Sand Harbor was a destination she felt the happiest.

Joyce is survived by her two adult daughters, Marcy Aguilar Hill (Mike) and Emily Aguilar Capps (Allen). She was a proud grandmother to Carter Capps, Ameila Capps, and twins Pearson and Ava Hill. Joyce has one living sibling, Linda Safford (Charlie) of Lovelock, NV and two living aunts, Bonnie Nance of Yuma, AZ and Nena Casper of Burleson, TX. She also loved spending hours on the phone with her cousins, especially Sandra Johnson of Reno, NV, Karl Weaver of Longmont, CO, Tracy Estes of Parker, CO, and Dave Weaver of Fallon, NV. In addition, she had many nephews and nieces with whom she loved and stayed connected.

Joyce is preceded in death by her brother Ned Weaver of Carson City, NV, Fred L. Aguilar, and Dr. James A. Friedman.

A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 10:00 am, with visitation beginning at 9:00 am and Rosary at 9:30 am, on Thursday, June 26, 2025 at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel at St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 6800 Buffalo Speedway with Father Houston, celebrant. Rite of Committal will be held in Gardnerville, NV.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to either one of the following: St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church or Keep Tahoe Blue https://raisedonors.com/leaguetosavelaketahoe/donate