Glenda Joyce Shambow was born on March 12, 1945 in Warrensburg, Missouri. She graduated from East High School in Kansas City, Missouri. At the age of 16, Joyce (the name she went by) started working for the phone company, known as AT&T, as a dispatcher. Joyce worked for the phone company until her retirement at the early age of 45.
Also at age 16, Joyce met Wayne Shambow, who was her brother, Larry's best friend. In 1965, after Wayne got out of the Marine Corps they were married on his discharge date of May 28, 1965. While waiting for Wayne to retire from his job, she kept herself busy by working at Spencers Gift and U-Haul alongside her daughter, Debra Van Blaricom.
Over the years, Wayne and Joyce packed up Debra and Denise and traveled. Eventually, after Wayne's retirement, they bought a 5th wheel and traveled to the east coast twice, hitting every state. Her favorite place to visit was Maine. Though she liked something about every state, Maine is where she enjoyed going back to.
Joyce loved to travel, camp and fish. Her and Wayne would plan a yearly Wallowa Lake fishing trip with their dear friends, Don and Ruth Dolan. Every year like clock work, they would go. When Joyce lost her legs in 2012, she was not going to let that stop her. Her daughter, Denise, and son-in-law, Dan recommended they trade in their 5th wheel and invest in a toy hauler, so she could go up the ramp and still go camping.
She was always happy and being handicapped never stopped her. Her grandson, Dustin even bought her leg warmers on her first Black Friday trip with no legs. She would laugh when Dustin and Denise would ask if she wanted socks or shoes that year. People always looked at them strange. They just didn't understand; why cry or be depressed over something that isn't going to change? This year for Christmas her crazy grandson, Dustin, again found something funny for her at Black Friday. A Grinch sweater with legs! She loved it. For Christmas she wore that sweater with pride to her last family Christmas party with a big smile!
On December 29, 2018 Wayne called Joyce home. her daughter, Denise feels that he gave them Christmas but he wanted to ring in the New Year with the love of his life and soul mate, Joyce.
Joyce was the loving wife of 53 years to Wayne Shambow who preceded her in death on May 27, 2018. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Ethel Martin.
Joyce is survived by her two daughters, Debra Lynn Van Blaricom (Robert), and Cynthia Denise Everett (Dan); sisters, Jeane Beck (Kenny), and Gail McDowell (Terry); brother, Larry Martin (Rita); grandchildren, Dustin Wayne Hittle, Danielle Yvonne Horsley (Sgt. Spencer Horsley, USMC), Elizabeth Cruchon, Kris Ann Farkas, Jessica Marie Johnson, and Sean Holland (Kelly); and 7 great grandchildren. She also leaves behind her therapy cat, Missy; and their loving dog, Cassie.
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