Joyce Allen

“To know her was to love” – Joyce Allen was a woman with an amazing heart. She was the living definition of a family woman. Her family was not only those to whom she was immediately related, but rather all of those who were in need of love belonged to her family. Joyce was the type of person that would do anything for her family and friends; she made her family her life’s work.

The year was 1939 and the United States was slowly climbing its way out of the dark recesses of the Great Depression. War had just erupted in Europe and within just a few years the United States would be dragged headlong into the conflict. In the midst of these difficult times, Robert and Thelma (Reed) Ahlberg welcomed into this world on May 24, 1939, their daughter, Joyce, who was the first of two daughters born in the family. Joyce later was blessed with a younger sister, Roberta.

Joyce lived in the small community of Orangeville Township, Michigan all of her life. It is the place she called home, and the place where she created a lifetime full of memories with her family and friends. She attended the Orangeville public schools until the eighth grade and graduated from Martin High School in 1957. Joyce soon found work at the well-established appliance manufacturing company called Kelvinator in Grand Rapids and was a dedicated employee for 25 years. She also worked a second job as a roll operator at Plainwell Paper for 18 years, until her first bout with cancer in 1999.

While working at Kelvinator, Joyce welcomed the birth of her daughter, Kelly, whom she adored. Kelly became the focus of Joyce’s life. As a single mother, she spent her life balancing hard work with being a loving mother, succeeding in providing the best for her daughter. In her, her daughter found not only a mother, but also a best friend. Later when Kelly married, Joyce just loved her new son-in-law and was a constant support to them as a couple. When they later blessed her with two precious grandchildren, she delighted in her role of a doting grandmother and poured the same amount of love into these relationships as she did with her daughter.

Joyce was a true “social butterfly”, relishing opportunities to go bowling with her friends. Her compassionate nature reached beyond her immediate family as she took time to care for women co-workers and their ailing families while many of the younger workers took to calling her “Aunt Joyce.” Her amorous warmth was felt by everyone. Spending time with her family was always most important to Joyce. She fostered a very close relationship with her sister throughout the years and their families got together for all the holidays. Joyce enjoyed keeping up with the sporting events and school activities of all the children in their families. Heartbreakingly, her sister Roberta and her husband Glen died within two years of each other and, without hesitation, Joyce assumed the role of the mother figure for their three children. Always an excellent example, her loving deeds and positive actions were an inspiration to those that knew and loved her.

Joyce will be remembered for her greatest gift – a heart that never emptied itself of love for her daughter and son-in-law, her grandchildren, her nieces and nephews, her close friends and all those individuals she cared for at work. She loved to be surrounded by her family, and loved spending time being a devoted mother, grandmother, “aunt” and friend to the people who brought her life joy.

Joyce Allen died at her home on Wednesday, December 8, 2004. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister and brother-in-law: Roberta and Glen Drake. Joyce’s family includes her daughter, Kelly (Randall) Whitaker of Martin; grandchildren: Devan and Avry Whitaker; nieces and nephews: Mike (Ronda) Kelly and their children Dustin and Tara, all of Shelbyville, Robert (Dawn) Kelly and their children Curt and Luke all of Delton, and Tracy Kelly of Shelbyville.

To learn more about Joyce’s life, friends may visit with her family on Friday, December 10, from 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. at the RDMG Life Story Funeral Home, Plainwell Chapel, where her services will be held on Saturday, December 11, at 10 a.m., officiated by Pastor Bill Bills. Please visit Joyce’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory, order flowers or make a memorial contribution to a charity of choice or to the family, checks payable to Kelly Whitaker.