Joy Delores Dodge Wilson, born December 26, 1932, Duluth MN died Monday, June 22, 2009, Excelsior, MN
Joy Wilson passed away at home on Monday, June 22, 2009, at 1:25 AM in the care of her two daughters, Kristi and Kim. Joy was proceed in death by her parents Ernie and June (Sorenson) Dodge, her husband, Robert D. Wilson and her sister Marcie Anneke of Winter Springs, Florida.
Joy and Bob met as teenagers in Duluth, Minnesota and were married on September 6, 1952 in Duluth. They eventually moved to the Twin Cities area in 1964.
Joy led a full life. She thoroughly enjoyed raising her daughters, spending time with friends, loved reading and movies, and was a constant fan of music…she and her husband were quite impressive on the dance floor. Joy had an excellent singing voice and was an active member of the Sweet Adeline’s for years.
Joy and Bob built a winter home in northern California and acquired a summer home in Cumberland, Wisconsin, eventually settling on Lake Minnewashta in Excelsior. They were fond of traveling by motor home and touring the country sharing a common interest in nature…visiting national parks and hiking in nature reserves.
Joy's friends were life long friends. She loved children and became very active in the lives of Michael and Andy, her nephew’s children.
Joy is survived by her daughters Kim (Larry Heagle), and Kristi as well as many loving family members and friends. Kim and Kristi especially want to thank family and friends for their support during the last years of Mom’s life as well as Park Nicollet’s Dr. Schenk and Mary Ann of the Neurology Department, Dr. Kubiak and Pam of Oncology and the good people of Park Nicollet Home Care Hospice.
In respect of Joy's wishes, there will be no formal funeral services. Donations are welcome in Joy’s name to Alzheimer’s research foundation (of choice); Park Nicollet Oncology and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF).
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Joy was the very best mother-in-law a man could ask for -- certainly not the stereotypical mother-in-law. I especially remember her hearty laugh and broad smile. Like my own mother, Alice, Joy had a deep sense of fairness and justice about her, always an accepting person of any race, color , or creed.
Who can forget the wonderful Italian dinner she traditionally prepared for Christmas eve: Italian sausage and pork chops simmered for hours in her own red sauce recipe until the meat was fall apart tender and served over long strands of spaghetti.
She loved to tease me about my Irish background, but it was always good natured ribbing. She loved the outdoors and was an avid hiker. She also loved to spend a lazy sunday afternoon aboard the pontoon boat out on the lake.
Early in her life she was a smoker, but shortly after I began dating her daughter, she gave up smoking entirely - which took a lot of courage and self control. Unfortunately the damage apparently had been done as she was diagnosed with lung cancer this past year and it took her quickly.
She had made the trip down to the Tainter Theatre in Menomonie to see Fr John and I perform only a month ago and although she was in a somewhat weakened state at that time, she as still ambulatory and was maintaining her sense of humor.
I was shocked, then, to find her unable to walk when I visited her about two weeks ago.
We have lost a classy lady and she shall be missed.
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1 comment:
My condolences to you and your family. I lost my Grandma in 2007 to lung cancer and she was born in 1933, so I can empathize. Sounds like she was a great lady who lived a great life and that is worth a lot.
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