My grandma Joyce Willis (1932-2025) :,(
Estil
Posts: 7,281 ✭✭✭✭✭
So I just got word today that my beloved grandma, Joyce Clayton Willis (1932-2025) has sadly passed away in her sleep :,(
I knew this was coming for quite some time (she had various mental/emotional kinds of issues in her last few years) and I am VERY well aware that I am VERY fortunate to have had her and my grandpa Sib Willis (1927-2012) for as long as I did, it still sucks balls that I got the call today of her passing at the age of 93. :,(
https://www.haleymcginnis.com/obituaries/Joyce-Clayton-Willis?obId=46334863
I have gone on record many times here and elsewhere how awful my "parents" were in terms of their mental/emotional cruelty to me...and that is ALL the more reason why I was so fortunate to have the amazing grandparents I did. Among other neat things was that my grandma/grandpa as far back as I can remember did the most amazing Christmas Eve celebrations and birthday parties for me (such as my 10th birthday at McDonalds and my own copy of Super Mario Bros 3 at my 11th birthday and my first computer for my sweet 16th!) and my grandma used to take me to Holiday World (The Happiest Place in the Tri-State) every year starting in 1987 and continuing to do so for the remainder of that century pretty much (my high school senior trip was at Holiday World as well). Sadly however, due to my meager financial means and lack of transportation, and as much as I would really REALLY love to go back to The Happiest Place in the Tri-State, I've not been back to Holiday World since 2010. :,(
She also, among other neat adventures and such we got to do together, took me to Mammoth Cave a couple times and even took me to my first ever big league ball game in St. Louis sometime around late 90s/early 00s (though sadly Mark McGwire got a boo boo that day and couldn't play but with the help of her binoculars I at least could still say I saw him in person!!) She also taught me how to play Yathzee and after I moved to my current residence in 2017 which just so happened to be just 2/5 of a mile away from her house we had a Sunday tradition of me coming over and us playing rummy together and then she'd get me my favorite takeout (Lee's Famous Recipe's chicken tenders and potato wedges; sadly I can only now get this via DoorDash and because of its expense, only once in a VERY great while and only if I get a discount code or something) and whenever I'd say, thanks grandma, she'd say, yes grandpa! You know...if I had gone the more traditional route and say, had my first (human) kid at say, age 20 (for MANY various reasons me and my late wife were just not destined to be parents of human kids) and then he/she had their first kid at age 20 I could've in fact indeed been a grandpa by now!
I am so thankful for and so glad for all the awesome experiences and memories my grandma and grandpa provided for me (my grandpa and I used to love to talk sports and politics and he told me neat stories about how things were back in the day; this BTW was before we had modern Internet and YouTube and such) and I am glad to have had them as long as I did. Just like I had always tried very hard to be as good of a husband as I could be for my late wife, I also always tried very hard to be as good of a grandson as I could be for her and my grandpa and I hope I in return gave both her and my grandpa some neat happy memories/experiences as well!
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Comments
Thank you for caring and thank you for posting-- Sonny
The relationships we’ve had and the time spent with our grandparents provide some of the most special memories we can save. Condolences to you for the loss of a truly wonderful person in your life.
sorry to hear about your loss. It is good to hear you had such wonderful grandparents. I was lucky in that way as well. I lost my final grandparent last summer. it really is a bummer.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
A fine tribute and recollection.
Close Family loss is the most difficult. Take Solace in the Good Memories!
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
Thanx for sharing Estil. Very nice writeup and tribute.
Sorry for your loss, ESTIL. Rest in Paradise, Grandma Willis.
Erik
Thanks for posting this, and sorry for your loss. It reminds me of my grandparents who are now long gone. The memories of them are still strong. David
Always looking for Mantle cards such as Stahl Meyer, 1954 Dan Dee, 1959 Bazooka, 1960 Post, 1952 Star Cal Decal, 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels, 1953-54 Briggs Meat, and other Topps, Bowman, and oddball Mantles.