Joyce Stephenson

Joyce was born Joyce Stansfield on 29th June 1939. She was brought up like so many others at the time by her grandparents who she thought was her parents. It wasn't until much later in life that she found this out and that her brother 'Bill' was really her uncle.

Mum married Terence (Terry) Stephenson on 24th December 1960 and they moved to Thurcroft, first at Zamor Crescent and subsequently at Aymer Drive where they lived until her passing. Their son Andrew was born on 13th October 1962, followed by me - Karen on 30th August 1965.

Mum was a smiler, always happy and she always saw the best in people. She never judged and had a great listening ear.

Mum loved telling stories about times mum and dad spent visiting dad's family in County Durham, including the time when she went to the pub with Aunty Gwen and Aunty Beatie and they went back to a friend's farm after. Mischievously they went into the bedroom and put baking soda in the 'Po' under the bed - when their friend went to use the 'Po' the 'contents' fizzed up making them jump and spill the contents. Mum thought it hilarious as they ran down the lane with their friend shouting expletives and chasing them with a shotgun - luckily no shots were fired!

Mum took classes to learn dressmaking and one of my fondest memories was when she made a red dress for a dinner dance they were going to and she also made me a mini version - I wore that dress constantly until I couldn't fit into it, I was so proud that I had a dress like my mums that she had made.

Another time when we went to stay with family in Durham, my cousin got my mum drunk on 'Black Russian' drinks - needless to say the journey home was interesting with mum in the front seat of the car with her head in a bucket until she eventually nodded off to sleep.

She loved taking me and my friend shopping on a Saturday and never complained about how many shops we went into before finally deciding what to buy.

We had great family holidays and day trips and mum and dad always made sure myself and Andrew had everything we needed and wanted.

Mum loved her soaps, musicals and going to see shows and every so often would travel to London with her girlfriends to see a live show. On those weekends it was always fish and chips with dad on the Saturday.

In later life, through all her illnesses - and she had many, mum was always positive and smiling, doting on her grandchildren and spoiling them rotten.

So sad to see such a gentle caring person go too soon, but mum will never be forgotten and her spirit lives on in her grandchildren and great grandchildren.