JOYCE WAS OUR ONLY CHILD. I GUESS ITS ONLY NATURAL THAT WE LOVED HER SO MUCH..JOYCE WAS ALWAYS A LOVING PERSON..SHE TRIED TO HELP ANY AND EVERYONE  SHE COULD,GROWING UP IF SHE HAD ANYTHING THAT SOMEONE ELSE DIDNT HAVE , SHE WANTED TO SHARE..WE WERE ALWAYS SO CLOSE LIKE SISTERS..SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME HOW MUCH SHE LOVED ME ,SHE HONORED ME AS HER MOTHER ALWAYS.SHE WASNT SICK TOO LONG AND I KNOW THAT GOD WAS READY FOR HER TO COME HOME.SHE HAD A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS,BUT GOD KNEW HER HEART..I KNOW I WILL SEE HER AGAIN SOMEDAY..LOVE FOEVER MOM

From the first days together Joyce talked about how much she wanted to visit Ocracoke Island, North carolina.  She had seen most of the Outer Banks but had never been to Ocracoke.  We were nevr financially well off so we often had to go to such places during the off season and Ocracoke was no different.  we decided to go the first weekend in November.  The wether was still very nice and we were both excited when we left Wilmington on our jouney to the island.  Just as we reached Cedar Island our hotel called and told us to turn around; a Nor-Easter was blowing in and the ferry would be closed.  We were not going to let this deter us so we wetn into beuford to wait it out.

The only place open with rooms availible was a large Inn in front of the Harbor and we were the only vistors that night.  We walked down the street to the only restaraunt open  The wind was just coming in so it was a little tough to walk but we held onto each other and did just fine.  We had a fantastic dinner and walked back to the hotel.  The wind was blowing through the lines of masts on sailboats sitting in the harbor and the vibrations they made were a lud moan and sounded like the moans of a hundred ghosts.  Outside our room, all along the upper level walkways PVC type outdoor chairs walked  a few feet at a time in the wind.
The next morning everything had cleared out so we met the Ferry at Cedar Island and began the 3 hour trip across the Palico Sound.  As we approached the island Joyce ws so excited and took my arm saying; "Look Honey!  there's Ocracoke!'  The channel took us past the island before we could turn back into its harbor.  As we passed Joyce looked so dismayed and said; "Look Honey! There goes Ocracoke "  When we turned and approached the ramp to disembark she jumped into the jeep and was anxiously waiting to move.

Our stay on the isand was too short; only a few days but we had such a good time exploring and enjoying the sights, sunds and wonderful ffood of the island.  we went back one other time and enjoyed tht as well but nothing can compare to that first visit.  A memory I will Always have.  Thank You Joyce, My Dear Wife, for taking me on such a journey.  That and all the journies that came after. 

Joyce actually first contacted me thrugh an on-line dating site on November 8, 2005.  It took me a couple of days to see her email so I responded to her on November 11th.  We planned our first meeting for the next day.  I asked her to meet me at a corner of Randal Library on the campus of UNCW.  I honestly thought when she saw me approaching she would either leave or be polite and say "Nice to meet you" and that would be it.  For some reason, I guess I will never know, she smiled, took my hand and we began to walk and get to know one another.  Before that moment I had always been very much against holding any wonan's hand in public but I never let go of her hand from that moment on.  My hand felt so empty if I did not imediately reach for her hand.  She always told me that she fell in love with me the first time she saw me.  I'll never know what she saw or why she fell for me but I thanked God every day that she did.