Joyce Ann

 October 5, 1949 became one of the brightest days of my life when Joyce was born.  We were buddies from the start, and she loved to follow me around.  I was always glad to have her as my shadow.

After she began to walk, it was noticed that there was something not quite right.  A hip that didn't join just right - also a hereditary trait from Kitten's family - was the problem.  (Diagnosed a hip displaysia.  A Dr. Zuber in KCMO is the one who treated her.)  She spent about a year in a cast from her underarms to her knees, but it didn't slow her down a bit.  We were all afraid she would get hurt climbing around, but it didn't seem to bother her at all.

Joyce with brace shown
with Dennis and David Hayes, Tennessee cousins

They always did their best to hide the brace

While long hours were spent on the bulldozer during my days as a homebuilder, the enjoyment of the work was greatly enhanced by my little three year-old buddy.  She always managed to spend a couple of hours a day with me on the bulldozer when the work I was doing was safe.  She was a wonderful little pal, our first grandchild, and our idol.

My Lady Fair

My lady fair is bright and gay,

Her heart is ever true,

With curly locks and big brown eyes 

That thrill me through and through.

Her hearty laugh is sheerest joy

Her teasing voice devine

And it's Heaven when she has

Her little hand in mine.

Or cuddles in my open arms

As fresh as the morning dew

and whispers so no one can hear,

"Dran paw, I luv you."

When troubles come and skies are gray

And it seems the sun will never shine,

My world is bright and all is right,

If her little hand's in mine.

There are those who think of fame and gold

As life's priceless gifts devine,

But all I ask is to feel the touch

Of her little hand in mine.

When Jim's divorce was granted, Joyce and Susan were awarded to Della and me to raise.  We dearly loved the little tots, Joyce then seven, and Susan two, and did our best to raise them in the proper manner.

Joyce was busy with school, dancing lessons and piano.  Della was always busy sewing for the girls - dresses, dancing costumes, and Barbie clothes.  She loved doing for the girls, just as I did.

Every summer we were able to take several weeks' vacation because of my being self-employed, and every year the five of us - Della, Jim, Joyce, Susan, and I would pile into the car and take off.  We always had a wonderful time seeing the sights.

In 1960 Jim remarried and our unbelievably happy bubble burst.  It had never occurred to us that he might remarry and take the girls away from us, but that's exactly what happened.  He moved only about two miles from us, but his new wife, Ella Eugenia Stuerman, let us know in no uncertain terms that we were not welcome unless we were invited.  The girls went with their father, but they continued to visit us at least once a week for years.

Joyce and I only had one disagreement that amounted to anything in our entire lives.  One night when she was at our house visiting, she got upset with me because I wanted her to get off the telephone.  When she finally did get off, she went into the bedroom and sneaked out the back door to run away.  When I discovered she was gone, I got in the car and went looking for her.  I found her on Westport Road, walking home (to her Dad's) in the dark.  I tried and tried to persuade her to get in the car, but it took several attempts.  She did finally get in, and I took her home.

When Joyce was not yet seventeen, she married (Bill Cadwalader) , with still a year left of school.  Although we were heartsick over it, we supported her decision 100%.  The marriage was a mistake that ended in divorce in 1969, but not before it gave us two wonderful grandchildren, Joey Sue born on April 12, 1967 and Spencer Lee born on March 23, 1969.

Senior Picture

The back of this photo, in Grandma's handwriting, says "The bastard."

Joyce married Eddie Pierce on December 27, 1969 and on June 4, 1971, Denise Ann was born.   Eddie was a car salesman at the time of their marriage but Joyce persuaded him to find a more stable career and he ended up going to work for Helzberg Diamonds as a salesman in 1973.  They lived in our little house next door at 9312 E. 27th Street, and rented it from us for $75 a month until they bought it from us later for $15,000.  Again, we felt safe and secure having family close by.

In 1974 Ed was promoted to manager and they all moved to Duluth, Minnesota.  We hated to see them all leave, but knew they had to go.  They later lived in Oklahoma City and Denver and we were able to visit them there over the holidays.  They always came home to Kansas City on vacations, too, but seeing them twice a year wasn't all we wanted.

In 1981 Ed was promoted and moved back to Kansas City, and everyone was thrilled.  Once again, we were all back together.

Note:  The common thread in most of Grandpa's posts are his joy when we are all together as a family.  I love that.

My grandparents despised Bill but to their credit, they did do everything they could to support us.  They invited us over for dinner, and they even bought us a good mattress to go on our second hand bed.  All of the furniture we had came from an apartment Grandpa had, when the renter took off without paying rent.   When Bill left during the second pregnancy, they were thrilled.  I remember that last Christmas and Grandma had given him a gift.  Later that day, he packed up and left.  Grandma was happy he was gone, but said she wish she'd have known because she wouldn't have gotten him anything.  That was Grandma!

Grandpa actually bought that house at 9312 so Bill and I would have a place to live.  We had been evicted from a duplex on Sterling and were living with his parents (foster parents?  Clarence and Velda Hartshorn).  We wanted to move out.  More specifically, he wanted to move out because they weren't pleased with the life he was leading.  We couldn't find a place, so Grandpa bought that house and rented to us.  When Bill left, Grandpa suspended my paying the rent until I had my baby and could get back to work.  As soon as I found a job at City National Bank, I started paying him again.

When Eddie and I married, we lived there, and eventually bought it and added on a bedroom and bathroom on the front where a screened in porch had been.

It was wonderful living next door to them because they often invited us down for dinner, and my kids went back and forth all the time.  It was good for all of us.  But especially during the Bill days, I'm sure they knew every night he didn't come home.  Still, they kept quiet.  They were the best.  I only wish I had confided in them and let them know what was going on.

Also ... I did get married 3 days before the start of my senior year.  I worked at Sears in the afternoons after school and "graduated" at semester.  I then found out I was one credit short for failing home ec.  I went to night school so I would graduate with everyone else, but that night school credit showed that I graduated from that school and not Van Horn.   I've always been unhappy about that.