Joyce McMaster

As her friends and family can attest, Joyce McMaster was completely selfless in her every thought, word, and deed. She made being a mother her primary focus while her children were at home, yet she just may have argued that being a grandmother was her greatest reward. Joyce was the sort of woman who took everything in stride and with a fun-loving sense of humor, she was a good sport even when her son played practical jokes on her a time or two. She has been described as a woman with a heart of gold, and it was because of the love she freely gave to those around her that she made such a significant impact on the lives of many. Someone who was never concerned with building wealth according to the world’s measure, Joyce found that it was through loving others around her that we are richly blessed.

The early 1940s found the eyes of our nation fixated on the hostilities of WWII overseas. After the vicious attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, we sent countless servicemen and women overseas to fight for the preservation of the freedoms we still enjoy today. Those who remained stateside became all too familiar with rationing on common goods such as sugar, coffee, and tin. It was just about one year after the official end to the war in 1945 that there was great joy in one bustling family from Catlettsburg, Kentucky, as they welcomed a new baby girl into their hearts and home on August 8, 1946. Baby Joyce was the middle of six children born to her parents, Merle and Myrtle (Church) Patrick, and was raised in the family home alongside her brothers, Jim, Merle, Mike, and Walt and her sister, Joan. Her father worked as a coal miner while her mother focused her attention on the home front and worked some as a waitress. The Patrick family moved around quite a bit during Joyce’s formative years, and it was when she was seven years old that they came to Michigan. Her junior high years found her at Rodney B. Wilson Junior High, and her education was complete after her eighth grade year.

Life was filled with new and exciting changes for Joyce when she met the young man with whom she would share a lifetime of love. His name was Lloyd McMaster, and they first met at the roller rink in St. Johns, but it wasn’t until a bit later that true love began to blossom. When Lloyd and his friends came to visit at the house where Joyce was babysitting one fateful New Year’s Eve the couple began a whirlwind romance. After falling deeply in love Lloyd and Joyce were united in marriage weeks later on June 14, 1962, in Ovid.

Initially the newlyweds settled into an apartment in Lloyd’s parents’ house, and they later moved to Eureka. After working at a few different jobs Lloyd settled in at General Motors in Lansing, and Joyce was able to focus her attention primarily on their home and family that grew to include six children, Sherry, Tim, Lloyd Jr., Jeff, Steve, and Billy. For a time Joyce did work at the local drive-in and made fishing lures to help make ends meet. Her family was truly blessed with her skills in the kitchen as everything she made was second to none. Some of Joyce’s most famous dishes were her Swiss steak, fried chicken, potato soup, and especially her banana pudding.

Throughout her life Joyce’s days were enriched by so many things. She fully immersed herself into her role as a mother, but she was truly delighted when grandchildren joined their family as they were her pride and joy. Joyce took full advantage of spending time with her grandchildren whenever the opportunity arose. The times spent Indian leg wrestling with them will remain precious memories in the hearts of her grandchildren for years to come. Joyce loved camping all over, taking in so much of the beauty that the world around her had to offer. Her chihuahua, JoJo, was like another member of the family and provided Joyce with constant companionship. Joyce was always on the lookout for Indian figurines, and she had a lovely collection to show for her efforts.

Joyce McMaster touched the hearts and lives of those around her in so many ways. She has been described as someone with a heart of gold - a woman who was truly beautiful on the inside and out. It was easy to see that Joyce loved her family deeply, and she was overjoyed when her family tree grew with the addition of grandchildren and great-grandchildren later in life. With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Joyce created a vibrant tapestry of memories that will surely withstand the test of time.

Joyce McMaster died on Monday, February 27, 2012. Joyce’s family includes her husband, Lloyd; her daughter, Sherry Bates; sons, Tim McMaster, Lloyd (Sandra) McMaster, Jr., Jeff (Chris) McMaster, Steve McMaster; 15 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; sister, Joan Fraker; brothers, Merle (Ruth Ann) Patrick, Jr., Mike (Kim) Patrick, and Walt (Teresa) Patrick. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; son, Billy McMaster; grandson, Ricki Hasenbank; and brother, Jim Patrick. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 2, 2012, at the Houghton Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes in Ovid. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends, 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday and 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association. To learn more about Joyce and to view her Life Story film, please visit her personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com/memories/78496. The family was served by The Osgood Funeral Homes.