Joyce retired from Air King October 25th / 2004.  She insisted on keeping her toolbox.

Employee of the Month

All the old gang at Air King

BBQ at Gina's Home in Palgrave 2001

I thought I saw her face today
In the sparkle of the morning sun.
And then I heard the angel say
“Her work here on earth is done.”

Don't think of her as gone away, Her journey's just begun.

The Angel was arranging the Lord's upper room
in the windows of Heaven where pretty flowers bloom
The Angel said, "Lord we'd better take heed, because
in this vacant spot another flower we need"   
The Lord said Angel go right away and bring back a flower
for our special bouquet.

The Angel left in a wink, and sey..looking for buds that gleamed
and shined...for some strange reason they were not the right kind
When all of a sudden a flower so pretty and flair, here is the one the
Angel shouted the Lord wants up there, so she snatched her quickly
This flower to gain so whe wouldn't have to suffer any more pain
as they walked back to the master land..the Angel leading Joyce,
They walked hand in hand..here is your flower the Angel said with a sey
But we left the other ones down there crying..they were so heart broken so
At this hour...for you know dear master how much they loved this flower
The Lord turned and said, I have all the powere I will give new strength to those dear broken flower.  But as you know the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, but the Lord wanted Joyce for his special bouquet.

From your Sister Sylvia      
        

Entertaining

Joyce was one who loved to entertain others and would often be the entertainment.  She loved to see people happy, she loved it when everyone came to her house.  She was quick to provide food, drink, jokes and stories of the past.  She always made sure that everyone was comfortable and relaxed in her presence.

Endearing

Joyce was very good at making everyone feel special.  She tried never to forget a person’s name or their story.  She never forget anyone’s birthday and at Christmas always found a way to buy a gift for everyone no matter how small.  Even last Christmas when she was so sick, she found a way to make sure everyone had a gift.  Joyce was friendly with all our friends, friends of our friends and parents of her grand children.  She was always remembered after a first meeting.  Ask the nail technicians at Bolton Walmart, even when she was not doing her nails she was stopping by to chat.

Easygoing

Joyce was very childlike in nature.  She did not allow life to be so serious that she would be easily offended or hold grudges.  If she was upset with you it lasted only a little while.  Surely, this was a major factor in the lasting relationship with the biggest E in her life Errol.

Errol

Joyce was Errol and Errol was Joyce.  Everywhere she went she was looking out for Errol.  If came to our homes or any occasion where there was food, before she would eat, she would say “make sure to put some away for Errol”.  Father’s day and Christmas she would call and say “let me tell you what to buy for Errol”.  Within an hour of coming to my home as the phone rang she would say “that must be Errol”. And it was so, as he wanted her to buy some thing or to find out when she was coming home.  If she was going away for any length of time the last instruction she would leave is “make sure you check up on Errol”  they were married for almost 50 years and though one cannot even imagine what it will be like without her as a group it would be nice if we could all remember to give our support to Errol.

Each of us leaves a thumbprint on the world, as record that we were here and who we were and what we did.  Our only choice is what kind of thumbprint to leave.

As I think of the C in Joyce's name, caring and committed come to mind. 

Here home has been a place where friends meet, family gather and where love grows and this is a result of her care and concern for others - bar-b-ques, dinners and just getting together.

Even if you think you are an outsider, Joyce would not stop pulling you in until you are in her circle.  Recently, someone made a comment that she always made you feel welcome and a part of her family - and I am sure many of us here can identify with this.

She loved shopping and was always buying gifts for someone, sometimes I marvel at the extent to which to which she extended herself.

Even in her sickness, she care about the people who were around her - yuh eat anything, go get something to eat, she would often say.  She wanted to know that there was always something in the house that people who visited could get something to eat or take with them.

2 days before she left us, we were helping her to get back in bed, and she said to her daughter-in-law, Andrea, who has a bad back, "watch yuh back".  When she got in the bed, she pulled me to her and whispered in my ear " Tell Andrea to mine her back".

That was Joyce, committed to care even to the very end.

Joyce, my Matie - may your soul rest in peace.

Y is for youthful, Where do I begin to speak about Joyce? In my family we referred to her as our soccer Mascot. She attended most of the soccer games and you could hear her cheering for the girls as she sat under her umbrella. You could always bet that you would see her walking around bolton. Joyce was a fighter and had a strong will to live. She loved her grand children as she displayed by trying to watch each of them play soccer at their various games. We came to love Joyce as one of the family, not just the soccer family. As one of the team parents said we were all touched by joyces heart and smile. She came to visit often and always had inspiring words to say to my wife. She was a strong and loving person and we will miss her dearly. She was an inspiration to anyone who met her.

A lot of words beginning with the letter o could describe mom, outgoing - she would talk to anyone; obliging - she was always helping out others and would do anything for you; outstanding - she was a remarkable woman, outspoken - you always knew where you stood with her, but the word beginning with o that I believe exemplifies who she most was is obstinate - or as us Jamaicans say "own way'.

Mom was the most stubborn person I know. She lived by the motto, "me run tings, tings no run me". If mom had something in mind, nothing anyone could do or say could change her mind. Here's just one illustration. In December, while she wasn't feeling great, she decided that she was going to get Derick and Andrea a new kitchen table for their birthday, anniversary and Christmas presents. 

On a Tuesday night while I was visiting she asked me what i was doing the following Saturday. I told her that Joel, my husband, and I had plans. Her reply, "tell Joel that you're going out with me. He's not going to mind, because it's me." I asked her where we were going. Her reply, "so why you need fi know?" It took about10 minutes before she would tell me she wanted me to take her to the Brick and why. I asked her if Andrea and Derick wouldn't want to choose their own furniture, her response, "if you a get something fi free, yuh a go refuse it?" I told her I would see if I could make it on the Saturday. The next day she called me at work, "suh, wi a go on Saturday." I told her I wasn't sure. The Thursday night as I was leaving her, she says, "come ya, nuh forget wi going out on Saturday."

Now I know she wasn't feeling well and figured the trip would be too tiring for her, so I told her we'd see. The next day she called my house to let Joel know that she and I were going out on Saturday. When I got to her house that evening she told me not to forget that we were going out the next day and to make sure I got to her house by 10 o'clock so she could be back at home by 1. Own way.

When Death came for her in early January, she decided she wasn't ready to go and refused to let go of life. Even though the doctors didn't expect her to leave the hospital, she was too stubborn to give in to her illness. She was able to leave the hospital and go back home to her family and friends.

She remained obstinate till the end. On her last day, even though she really was too ill to move, she insisted on getting up and walking to the bathroom even though we had to carry her. While we were bringing her back to bed she told us to tek time, and give her a chance to rest. 

Late that night when God reached out his hand to take her home she went just the way she said she said she wanted to, in her sleep, with her son Derick lying beside her. I'm sure she's in heaven running tings. 

Death came for her once before,
But she stubbornly sent him away.
She wanted to spend more time with us,
So she decided she would stay.

She gave us months of love and laughter 
And time to say goodbye.
She kept reminding us that when she left
She didn't want us to cry.

God knew that there'd be no cure
So he gently set her free.
Another angel is now in heaven
Watching over me.

Goodbye mom I'll miss being with you
But I know we'll never be apart.
You'll always live forever
Deep within my heart.

To be uploaded

We are the other 2 Grandchildren, and we selected this poem, as it is very fitting for our grandmother.  Grandma loved her garden, and whenever we played near her flowers, she would say "bruk yuh foot, but nuh bruk mi plant"


God Looked upon his garden,
And found an empty place.
He then looked down upon this earth
and saw your tired face.

He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.

He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain.
He knew you would never
Get well on earth again.

He saw the road was getting tough
And the hills were hard to climb
So he closed your weary eyelids
And whispered "Peace be thine."
    
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn't go alone
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home. 

You left us beautiful memories
Your love is still our guide
And though we cannot see you,
You are always at our side.

Our family chain is broken,
And nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one
The chain will link again.


WEEP NOT FOR ME BUT COURAGE TAKE
AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER FOR MY SAKE         
        
                 

Hello everyone, it is so nice to see that all of you could be here today to celebrate the life of my grandmother, Joyce Veronica Wilson. Many of you know her as Joyce, Jaycee, jayce, ma or Wednesday because she was always in the middle of everything and I am orotund to say that is a trait that has rubbed of on me. I remember this time we went to a funeral and i saw the limousine. I wanted to go in so she grabbed my hand and said "come Kai" and we went into the limo - we didn't even know the people.  She was also a kind hearted, caring and loving woman who would open her door to anyone. There are so many memories I have of my grandmother picking me up from school, attending my soccer games, family vacations, seeing me graduate from high school, the list goes on. I specifically remember this time when my grandma picked me up from school and on the ride home I asked her to pronounce my friends name - Sarah salvadoori. She said Sarah salvador, samara salvad and I laughed all the way home. It's memories like that I will miss and I am sad at the fact that she can't see me graduate university, attend my wedding or meet my children. When she began this battle against cancer making it to my wedding is what she used as motivation, she told everyone. Although she won't be there physically I know she will be so proud of me and smile down on my. I am so happy that she no longer has to struggle and suffer because I never wanted that for her and I know she didn't want that. If I could live my life just as my grandmother did and touch as many people as she did I would - like her - be ready to meet my maker in heaven. Grandma I know you're up there dancing, laughing, breathing clearly and know everyone by now minus their names - she always managed to forget that part. To this day I still don't think she can correctly spell Akailah, Adaijah or Alaiyah. Grandma, I love you - you have shaped my life in more ways than you probably know and for that I am forever grateful.
Thank you: Akailah Wilson

My Great Friend Joyce:
How do you possibly encapsulate the life of a great friend in a few words and minutes.  With Joyce, a few words is not possible. I go back almost 26 years with Joyce, who ended up being more of a Mother than a friend.  Back in the early days of Air-King, Joyce was always the common element between all of the employees, which at the best of times is a difficult task.  She would plan our Christmas get together at a questionable Chinese buffet in a questionable local mall. All you could eat for $9.99, but we all showed up, or else. I know I am here representing the days Joyce spent working, but she was truly a much larger part of my life and the life of my family. Joyce spent plenty of Christmas Eve’s with me and Brenda at our home, not as a guest, but as part of our family, always bringing along a sister, or cousin, or friend, or Patrick of course. She always took full credit for our marriage and always remembered our children at Christmas, even if the sizes were wrong. We two also had a great affection for a British TV soap opera Coronation St. which Joyce seemed to have an inside source for and would occasionally play spoiler by telling what was coming up on the show the following week. That drove me crazy.  Her feisty sprit showed up to the very end as a couple of weeks ago Brenda and I we’re visiting, and as I sat on the edge of her bed trying to get Patrick’s phone number in California, Joyce was becoming upset with my badgering at how long it was taking to find a phone number. She threw her cordless phone at me and shoved me off the end of her bed with her short little legs.  Absolutely normal behavior. A week or so before this, I was sitting with Joyce in her back yard in the sunshine and as I helped Errol fold a couple of tarps from the winter, I could see Joyce from the corner of my eye looking around at everything. When I sat down beside her she whispered to me, honey, I’m ready anytime that he is ready for me. This day I truly believed her. Joyce had a spirit unlike anyone else I have known my entire life, and rumour has it her sprit lives on in a young grand-daughter.  Girls, you are what is left to carry on whatever you possibly can of your Grand-Mother’s great spirit. Joyce told me, in her last few months that one of her favorite times had been her prayer groups with the family. For me my final goodbye to my friend and Mother is a piece of scripture suiting to Joyce and what she believed:

John 14.1-6

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You Know the way to the place where I am going. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Our thoughts are with you all, Errol, Derick, Patrick, Andrea, Akailah, Adaijah and Alaiyah.  Rest in peace Joyce. Your battle was courageous and long enough. We love you and miss you tremendously.

Order of Service  
Processional Hymn......................................................."The Lord's My Shepherd"   Opening Remarks & Prayer......................................Canon Jerome Khelawan   The Collect: Page 577 ..........................................Book of Alternative Services   Hymn ............................................................................"Blessed Assurance"         
Scripture Reading: Psalm 121: 1-8............................................. Paulette Lalor   Vocal Selection: Somewhere Around The Throne.............. Merle Miller   Poem .....................................................................................Sylvia Lalor 
Tribute: Work Colleagues ........................................................ Pat O'Brien   Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ......................... Everton Haye   Tribute: Grandchildren .............Akailah, Adaijah and Alaiyah Wilson   Hymn ................................................."What a friend we have in Jesus"   RememberingJOYCE................................................... Marilyn Prince
Vinette Prescott-Brown; Bryan Gnida; Reta Campbell; Dawn Wilson   Gospel ......................................................... Canon Jerome Khelawan   Eulogy ............................................................ ...Derick & Patrick Wilson   Homily .......................................................................Canon Jerome Khelawan   The Apostles' Creed: Page 578 ......................... Book of Alternative Services   The Prayers of the People: Page 579..................Book of Alternative Services   The Lord's Prayer: Page 583 ................................ Book of Alternative Services   The Commendation: Page 586 ............. Book of Alternative Services   Recessional Hymn .............................. “Precious Lord, Take My Hand"