Dear Auntie Joice,
The first memories I have of you is when I was about 2 or 3. It was the early years after the war and our two families shared a house on Selkirk Street in Cheltenham. A house of three toddlers; my sister Susan, Janette and me, plus my folks, Hubert (John) and Grace Turner and Ken and Joice. It was a house filled with joy and happiness.
Some recollections of Joice will follow--- in that house of toddlers, every afternoon we would be prepared for a walk to Pitville Park to feed the ducks by being placed up on the kitchen counter in a line. One mother would wash all six hands and knees, while the other dried us off, and straighten hair bows then we were ready for our walk completely presentable and armed with bread to feed the ducks!
After a couple of years, we moved to Grandad Turner's house next door to help take care of him as he became ill. Joice and family stayed in the original house where Diana joined the family shortly.
The years went by as we cousins grew up. I looked forward to the times we were invited for tea to visit the cousins and indulge in the typical English Tea. The table would be laden with egg sandwiches, scones, strawberry jam (both home made), and cream. Sometimes there would be jelly in an exotic shaped mold or the dreaded blancmange --which I hated! To top it off , Joice's famous Rock Cakes or a fruit cake - ( my father's favourite).
Our visits were not complete until we had gone into the garden to check on Ken's vegetables or fruit plants.
My father was very proud of his "baby" sister, which brings me to recall riding to the nursing home with Dad where he visited Joice after the birth of Diana. After he rejoined me in the car outside, his face was beaming with pride having met another niece!
Joice became the family historian and as my own daughters grew, Joanna, my eldest, happily gathered the information gleaned from her Auntie. When we lived in Lekhampton, I often saw Joice riding her bike through town and I'm sure that the years she rode that bicycle added to her longevity!
I was fortunate to be present for Joice's 90th birthday and was delighted to be chosen to assist in the secrecy of getting her to the event! By this time Joice was blind, yet, as we drove in a roundabout way to the Queens Hotel she could sense where we were in Cheltenham, but only knew the general area of Montpellier. The ruse had worked. Richard saw me in the car and helped clear the way for her to walk in. What a wonderful and special afternoon we all enjoyed.
I have no doubt that Joice is now enjoying the afterlife in the company of Ken, my parents and Sue, along with many others who all greeted her with playing cards in hand ready to play yet another hand of Canasta!
She was an inspiration to many. Her faith strong and an example to all. She will be missed by us all.
I am privileged to have called her "Auntie Joice"
With love, Helen
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