Arlis Lea Joyce

Arlis Lea (MacKay) Joyce was born in Portland, Oregon on January 6, 1931. After several years of declining health, Arlis passed away early Sunday morning, November 20, 2022 at the age of 91years at Arbor Oaks Terrace Memory Care in Newberg, Oregon. Arlis was born to Edwin D. MacKay and Goldene M. (Vickerman) MacKay. Her only sibling Edward, was five years old when she arrived. While growing up in Spokane, Arlis attended Sunday morning fellowship meetings at the home of Pop Turner, and annual church conventions at Hayden Lake and Bonners Ferry. Friendships made there would develop into lifelong "family connections”. Arlis made her choice to serve the LORD while she was a teenager and kept true to that choice all her life. After graduating from Lewis & Clark High School in 1949, Arlis started working for a local furniture store. A short time later the owner helped her buy her first car. Arlis would often spend time with her nephew Michael MacKay and twin nieces Krisanne Gray and Sharon Gates who affectionately called her “Auntie R.” She meet Walter Joyce while he was attending WSU in Pullman, WA. On Saturday morning, Sept 21, 1957, Arlis and Walter were married at 'The Hitching Post' in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They celebrated 61 years of marriage just before Walter’s passing in 2018. They made their first home together in Spokane, WA where they became parents when Bryan was born in 1958 and David, in 1960. In 1961, the family moved to Denver, Colorado, where they made their home for 3 years and Vernon, was born there in 1962. In 1964, the family moved to Utah. They rented a home for a short time in Sandy before buying a home in Salt Lake City. It was here where Gary was born in 1968. In the summer of 1970, the family moved back to Spokane, WA. In 1972, the family moved for the last time to Newberg, Oregon. They bought a home just down the street from their friends, the Plews and the Chapmans. They lived in that same home for 34 years. Every fall, Arlis and her family would gather fruit and vegetables from their garden and enjoy the canned food, grape and apple juice, throughout the rest of the year. Arlis & Walter felt privileged to host Wednesday bible studies and Sunday morning worship services in their home for many years. Arlis was a loving mother to her boys and many other children as well, who all enjoyed her bacon pancakes, fresh baked bread and chocolate chip cookies. They became loving grandparents in 1981 and great-grandparents in 2012. After Walter retired in 1988, they made several trips with their trailer, including going to conventions in Washington, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. In 1991 they also drove the ALCAN highway in Alaska with Robert and Marilyn Joyce. In 2006 they sold their home on Wynooski Street in Newberg and lived with their son Bryan, also in Newberg, for eight years. In September of 2014 they moved to Brookdale Assisted Living in Newberg, OR, and in 2018 they moved to Arbor Oaks Terrace Memory Care. Arlis is preceded in death by her husband Walter in 2018, her father in 1983, her mother in 1988 and her brother, Edward MacKay in 1995. Surviving to honor her life are her sons Bryan of Newberg (children Mari (Brian McDonald), Bradley (Rocio), Bethany (Josh Recaido)), David and wife Diane of Bothell, Washington (children Deanna (Kevin Zimmerman), Darren, Dustin), Vernon, of Miles City, Montana, Gary and wife Brenda of Newberg (children Kendall, Megan, Mackenzie (Eric Sullivan), Abigail), 5 great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews and friends. Click on this link to watch the service online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4nTIheKHwQ

Arlis Lea Joyce

January 6, 1931 - November 20, 2022