Joy was born on May 9, 1931 in a small rural hospital on the high plains of West Texas in in a town called Littlefield. She was the first of 3 daughters born to Harvey and Thelma McClanahan. She was raised near a tiny town called Springlake, Texas. There they lived on a farm that her parents homesteaded during the 1920's. They raised her and her sisters on that same farm during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl days. Joy vividly remembered the unrelenting winds, thick clouds of dust, and desperation of those days. Despite the dire times, the basic necessities of her early life were well provided for by the family farm and her parents hard work.
Joy was raised with her two younger siblings, Betty and Dorothy. Her father died when Joy was only 23. Betty died at age 32 when Joy was only 34 and her mother Thelma passed away when Joy was only 45. These were powerful losses to suffer at such early ages. She also suffered the tragic losses of her first 3 great grandchildren. Her sister Dorothy was her best friend and source of strength through all these rough times. Dorothy is alive and well today in East Texas.
As a young girl on the farm, she relished being the boss of her younger sisters when they played. In school, she was intelligent and had a wide circle of friends. She never formally participated in sports in school (her family joked she had a life-long aversion to exercise), but she thoroughly enjoyed acting and had a distinct flair for drama. She was a member of the High School drama group and performed in many plays and skits.
She graduated from Springlake-Earth High School, a rural high school set between two small towns, Springlake and Earth, in 1948. Joy was a very good student and did well in her courses. She was especially attentive during home economics. Though cooking wasn’t her forte, she really did excel at sewing and decorating. She also excelled in her speech and drama classes. Joy's most memorable achievement included being the technical valedictorian of her high school class. However in an ironic twist, the award was given to a boy who was thought to “need it more” and she was deemed salutatorian, a gross injustice of the time reflecting the attitude towards women. In addition to graduating at the top of her class, she was an excellent actress and artist, traits that would serve her well in life.
Joy’s academic success was a direct reflection of her life- long love of learning. Joy earned an academic scholarship to Wayland Baptist College, but she chose instead to marry the love of her life, Douglas Avery, and shortly thereafter became a young mother to 2 daughters. Later in life, she took several college classes but had to halt her studies when she began a career selling Avon Cosmetics. That career led to many outstanding accomplishments, reflecting her quest for new things to learn and experience.
Joy also had a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends. She was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Gracious and outgoing, Joy was easy to know and demonstrated a deep interest in others lives. She stayed in touch with her friends, and throughout her life she made many, many friends. Some of her closest friends included Vera McSpaddin, Betty Flowers, Ouida Sumerall, Sandy Stevens, Nancy Troll, Ruth White, Laura Oswell, Margaret Hughes, Barb Griffis, Phyllis Betz, Bev Jones and many, many more from far and wide. Many of her friendships were a direct result of membership in various Sunday School classes, bridge clubs, retirement communities and, of course, through her work in Avon Cosmetics.
On June 1, 1948 Joy married Douglas Clifton Avery at a small rural Baptist church in Sunnyside, Texas. They were married for almost 26 years before divorcing in 1974. After the divorce, Joy married the second love of her life, William Wesley Massey III, "Bill", on December 18,1976 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Joy's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to create a blended family. She and Bill lived full and busy lives. They cared deeply about his children and her children as well as each one’s grandchildren and great grandchildren. She tried to be a gracious and lovely part of Bill’s children’s lives - Alanna, Mark and Laura -as well as their extended families.
Joy was blessed with her own two daughters, Pamela Avery of Las Vegas, Nevada and Diane Leisher of Huntsville, Alabama, both of whom she loved dearly.
AS divisional sales manager for Avon Cosmetics. She was one of the first women chosen to work in the corporate offices in Kansas City at a time when corporate positions were held by men. Upon marrying Bill, she asked for and received the district sales manager position in Arkansas. She was employed for 24 years by Avon Cosmetics and retired as one of the most acclaimed sales managers in her region. As both a sales rep and a sales manager, Joy was enterprising and inventive.
Joy was raised with her two younger siblings, Betty and Dorothy. Her father died when Joy was only 23. Betty died at age 32 when Joy was only 34 and her mother Thelma passed away when Joy was only 45. These were powerful losses to suffer at such early ages. She also suffered the tragic losses of her first 3 great grandchildren. Her sister Dorothy was her best friend and source of strength through all these rough times. Dorothy is alive and well today in East Texas.
As a young girl on the farm, she relished being the boss of her younger sisters when they played. In school, she was intelligent and had a wide circle of friends. She never formally participated in sports in school (her family joked she had a life-long aversion to exercise), but she thoroughly enjoyed acting and had a distinct flair for drama. She was a member of the High School drama group and performed in many plays and skits.
She graduated from Springlake-Earth High School, a rural high school set between two small towns, Springlake and Earth, in 1948. Joy was a very good student and did well in her courses. She was especially attentive during home economics. Though cooking wasn’t her forte, she really did excel at sewing and decorating. She also excelled in her speech and drama classes. Joy's most memorable achievement included being the technical valedictorian of her high school class. However in an ironic twist, the award was given to a boy who was thought to “need it more” and she was deemed salutatorian, a gross injustice of the time reflecting the attitude towards women. In addition to graduating at the top of her class, she was an excellent actress and artist, traits that would serve her well in life.
Joy’s academic success was a direct reflection of her life- long love of learning. Joy earned an academic scholarship to Wayland Baptist College, but she chose instead to marry the love of her life, Douglas Avery, and shortly thereafter became a young mother to 2 daughters. Later in life, she took several college classes but had to halt her studies when she began a career selling Avon Cosmetics. That career led to many outstanding accomplishments, reflecting her quest for new things to learn and experience.
Joy also had a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends. She was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Gracious and outgoing, Joy was easy to know and demonstrated a deep interest in others lives. She stayed in touch with her friends, and throughout her life she made many, many friends. Some of her closest friends included Vera McSpaddin, Betty Flowers, Ouida Sumerall, Sandy Stevens, Nancy Troll, Ruth White, Laura Oswell, Margaret Hughes, Barb Griffis, Phyllis Betz, Bev Jones and many, many more from far and wide. Many of her friendships were a direct result of membership in various Sunday School classes, bridge clubs, retirement communities and, of course, through her work in Avon Cosmetics.
On June 1, 1948 Joy married Douglas Clifton Avery at a small rural Baptist church in Sunnyside, Texas. They were married for almost 26 years before divorcing in 1974. After the divorce, Joy married the second love of her life, William Wesley Massey III, "Bill", on December 18,1976 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Joy's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to create a blended family. She and Bill lived full and busy lives. They cared deeply about his children and her children as well as each one’s grandchildren and great grandchildren. She tried to be a gracious and lovely part of Bill’s children’s lives - Alanna, Mark and Laura -as well as their extended families.
Joy was blessed with her own two daughters, Pamela Avery of Las Vegas, Nevada and Diane Leisher of Huntsville, Alabama, both of whom she loved dearly.
AS divisional sales manager for Avon Cosmetics. She was one of the first women chosen to work in the corporate offices in Kansas City at a time when corporate positions were held by men. Upon marrying Bill, she asked for and received the district sales manager position in Arkansas. She was employed for 24 years by Avon Cosmetics and retired as one of the most acclaimed sales managers in her region. As both a sales rep and a sales manager, Joy was enterprising and inventive.
Joy was born on May 9, 1931 in a small rural hospital on the high plains of West Texas in in a town called Littlefield. She was the first of 3 daughters born to Harvey and Thelma McClanahan. She was raised near a tiny town called Springlake, Texas. There they lived on a farm that her parents homesteaded during the 1920's. They raised her and her sisters on that same farm during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl days. Joy vividly remembered the unrelenting winds, thick clouds of dust, and desperation of those days. Despite the dire times, the basic necessities of her early life were well provided for by the family farm and her parents hard work.
Joy was raised with her two younger siblings, Betty and Dorothy. Her father died when Joy was only 23. Betty died at age 32 when Joy was only 34 and her mother Thelma passed away when Joy was only 45. These were powerful losses to suffer at such early ages. She also suffered the tragic losses of her first 3 great grandchildren. Her sister Dorothy was her best friend and source of strength through all these rough times. Dorothy is alive and well today in East Texas.
As a young girl on the farm, she relished being the boss of her younger sisters when they played. In school, she was intelligent and had a wide circle of friends. She never formally participated in sports in school (her family joked she had a life-long aversion to exercise), but she thoroughly enjoyed acting and had a distinct flair for drama. She was a member of the High School drama group and performed in many plays and skits.
She graduated from Springlake-Earth High School, a rural high school set between two small towns, Springlake and Earth, in 1948. Joy was a very good student and did well in her courses. She was especially attentive during home economics. Though cooking wasn’t her forte, she really did excel at sewing and decorating. She also excelled in her speech and drama classes. Joy's most memorable achievement included being the technical valedictorian of her high school class. However in an ironic twist, the award was given to a boy who was thought to “need it more” and she was deemed salutatorian, a gross injustice of the time reflecting the attitude towards women. In addition to graduating at the top of her class, she was an excellent actress and artist, traits that would serve her well in life.
Joy’s academic success was a direct reflection of her life- long love of learning. Joy earned an academic scholarship to Wayland Baptist College, but she chose instead to marry the love of her life, Douglas Avery, and shortly thereafter became a young mother to 2 daughters. Later in life, she took several college classes but had to halt her studies when she began a career selling Avon Cosmetics. That career led to many outstanding accomplishments, reflecting her quest for new things to learn and experience.
Joy also had a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends. She was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Gracious and outgoing, Joy was easy to know and demonstrated a deep interest in others lives. She stayed in touch with her friends, and throughout her life she made many, many friends. Some of her closest friends included Vera McSpaddin, Betty Flowers, Ouida Sumerall, Sandy Stevens, Nancy Troll, Ruth White, Laura Oswell, Margaret Hughes, Barb Griffis, Phyllis Betz, Bev Jones and many, many more from far and wide. Many of her friendships were a direct result of membership in various Sunday School classes, bridge clubs, retirement communities and, of course, through her work in Avon Cosmetics.
On June 1, 1948 Joy married Douglas Clifton Avery at a small rural Baptist church in Sunnyside, Texas. They were married for almost 26 years before divorcing in 1974. After the divorce, Joy married the second love of her life, William Wesley Massey III, "Bill", on December 18,1976 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Joy's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to create a blended family. She and Bill lived full and busy lives. They cared deeply about his children and her children as well as each one’s grandchildren and great grandchildren. She tried to be a gracious and lovely part of Bill’s children’s lives - Alanna, Mark and Laura -as well as their extended families.
Joy was blessed with her own two daughters, Pamela Avery of Las Vegas, Nevada and Diane Leisher of Huntsville, Alabama, both of whom she loved dearly.
AS divisional sales manager for Avon Cosmetics. She was one of the first women chosen to work in the corporate offices in Kansas City at a time when corporate positions were held by men. Upon marrying Bill, she asked for and received the district sales manager position in Arkansas. She was employed for 24 years by Avon Cosmetics and retired as one of the most acclaimed sales managers in her region. As both a sales rep and a sales manager, Joy was enterprising and inventive.
Joy was raised with her two younger siblings, Betty and Dorothy. Her father died when Joy was only 23. Betty died at age 32 when Joy was only 34 and her mother Thelma passed away when Joy was only 45. These were powerful losses to suffer at such early ages. She also suffered the tragic losses of her first 3 great grandchildren. Her sister Dorothy was her best friend and source of strength through all these rough times. Dorothy is alive and well today in East Texas.
As a young girl on the farm, she relished being the boss of her younger sisters when they played. In school, she was intelligent and had a wide circle of friends. She never formally participated in sports in school (her family joked she had a life-long aversion to exercise), but she thoroughly enjoyed acting and had a distinct flair for drama. She was a member of the High School drama group and performed in many plays and skits.
She graduated from Springlake-Earth High School, a rural high school set between two small towns, Springlake and Earth, in 1948. Joy was a very good student and did well in her courses. She was especially attentive during home economics. Though cooking wasn’t her forte, she really did excel at sewing and decorating. She also excelled in her speech and drama classes. Joy's most memorable achievement included being the technical valedictorian of her high school class. However in an ironic twist, the award was given to a boy who was thought to “need it more” and she was deemed salutatorian, a gross injustice of the time reflecting the attitude towards women. In addition to graduating at the top of her class, she was an excellent actress and artist, traits that would serve her well in life.
Joy’s academic success was a direct reflection of her life- long love of learning. Joy earned an academic scholarship to Wayland Baptist College, but she chose instead to marry the love of her life, Douglas Avery, and shortly thereafter became a young mother to 2 daughters. Later in life, she took several college classes but had to halt her studies when she began a career selling Avon Cosmetics. That career led to many outstanding accomplishments, reflecting her quest for new things to learn and experience.
Joy also had a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends. She was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Gracious and outgoing, Joy was easy to know and demonstrated a deep interest in others lives. She stayed in touch with her friends, and throughout her life she made many, many friends. Some of her closest friends included Vera McSpaddin, Betty Flowers, Ouida Sumerall, Sandy Stevens, Nancy Troll, Ruth White, Laura Oswell, Margaret Hughes, Barb Griffis, Phyllis Betz, Bev Jones and many, many more from far and wide. Many of her friendships were a direct result of membership in various Sunday School classes, bridge clubs, retirement communities and, of course, through her work in Avon Cosmetics.
On June 1, 1948 Joy married Douglas Clifton Avery at a small rural Baptist church in Sunnyside, Texas. They were married for almost 26 years before divorcing in 1974. After the divorce, Joy married the second love of her life, William Wesley Massey III, "Bill", on December 18,1976 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Joy's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to create a blended family. She and Bill lived full and busy lives. They cared deeply about his children and her children as well as each one’s grandchildren and great grandchildren. She tried to be a gracious and lovely part of Bill’s children’s lives - Alanna, Mark and Laura -as well as their extended families.
Joy was blessed with her own two daughters, Pamela Avery of Las Vegas, Nevada and Diane Leisher of Huntsville, Alabama, both of whom she loved dearly.
AS divisional sales manager for Avon Cosmetics. She was one of the first women chosen to work in the corporate offices in Kansas City at a time when corporate positions were held by men. Upon marrying Bill, she asked for and received the district sales manager position in Arkansas. She was employed for 24 years by Avon Cosmetics and retired as one of the most acclaimed sales managers in her region. As both a sales rep and a sales manager, Joy was enterprising and inventive.
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