A-24-13

Obituary

 

Joyce was born on October 15, 1935, in Pocasset Oklahoma. She was

the third child born to General Dewey Amos and Monte Amos. Her older

siblings were Darlene and Doyle. Tragedy struck early in Joyce’s life, as

her father died when she was just two years old. This left the family in

desperate circumstances. Her mother soon moved out west to California

and later married Charles Barnhill. They settled in Shafter, California.

Two more children were soon added to the family, Minnie and Robert.

Though poor, the family was rich in love for one another and they stuck

together through thick and thin. Grandma (Monte) Barnhill saw to it

that all of her children were raised with Godly morals and old fashioned

common sense.

Joyce grew up in Shafter and was always active in the Mennonite

Brethren Church. She also enjoyed singing in the church choir. After

graduating from Shafter High School in 1953, she joined her friends in

Santa Monica where she worked during the day for a wholesaler in the

packing department.

Weekends were often spent dancing at the Lido Ballroom in Long

Beach where sailors on liberty could often be found. One such sailor,

(wearing civilian clothes) was Wallace Ryker. He spotted Joyce in the

dance hall and recalled that “she was dressed like a good country girl.”

She turned down his first request to dance. However, a week later he

returned. This time, he was wearing his navy uniform. Well, that did the

trick. The romance was on!

This soon led to a very memorable date where they rode an

amusement park ride called, “The Bullet”. Something went wrong and

they ended up suspended mid-air, upside down and spinning, for the

entire ride. This was probably an early clue of the adventurous life

ahead, as Joyce in recent years admitted, “For 60 years I've been on a

roller coaster ride and have had to hang on for dear life the entire time.”

In 1959, daughter Janet was born, followed by son, Darren in 1963. In

1967, the family moved to Columbus Georgia, where Wallace owned a

mechanic shop. Joyce struggled there, always missing and longing for

her family back in Shafter. Joyce was always about family. That’s what

she lived for.

In 1971 the family decided to move back to Shafter. On the road trip

back she kept saying, “We’re going home!” She was like a fish thrown

back in the water. She thrived being near all of her family. She was the

perfect wife and mother, took pride in a clean home and was a fantastic

cook. Nearly every Friday, she also baked a chocolate cake. Darren and

his cousin Vicki would often race each other after school, to see who

could get the first slice.

Within a few years, Wallace became a private pilot and took the

family on several vacations, including Florida, in his Piper Comanche.

How he ever got Joyce up in the air, we will never know. She didn’t like

flying and on one occasion only agreed to go if he would, “fly real low

and real slow.”

Around the late seventies, Joyce’s faith would face the refining fire, as

her beloved sister Darlene was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Joyce lovingly cared for her sister until the very end. She endured the

pain and trauma of that experience, demonstrating her Christian faith.

Life would go on, but Joyce never fully recovered from losing Darlene.

In later years, grandkids would arrive. She was, of course, the perfect

Grandma. There were countless sleepovers, craft days, feeding ducks at

the park. She doted on all of her grandkids.

It was also during these years that Joyce began enjoying live gospel

music including The Stamps, J.D Sumner and several of his groups and

many other gospel quartets. There were trips to Branson, Missouri and

other places with country gospel venues.

Around 1987, Wallace and Joyce moved to Bakersfield to be near the

grandkids. Joyce began attending the Riverlakes Community Church

ladies Bible classes on Tuesday mornings. She attended for many years

and appreciated her Christian sisters and her prayer groups.

Those she leaves behind are her steadfast husband of 65 years,

Wallace, daughter Janet Peters, son Darren Ryker, brother Doyle Amos,

sister Minnie Burch, brother Robert Barnhill and his wife Judy, nephews

Bryan Burch, Paul Burch and Greg Barnhill, nieces Vicki Amos, Brenda

Clinton, Sandy Tucker and Staci Earnest, Grandsons Michael Peters and

Dillon Ryker, Granddaughters Tiffany(Nick) Haynes, Alexa Ryker

Puckett, Great-grandchildren, Romay Peters and Nolan Haynes. —Joyce

was refined without being haughty. She was dignified without being

arrogant. She was steadfast without being rigid. We are comforted

knowing that she now joins departed loved ones, who have welcomed

her home, to that circle that is unbroken.