This is a story about Joyce Ann Welty. She was born in Long Beach to Bill and Marian Mayes in Long Beach March 25, 1949.

She became a big sister to her brother, Kenny Mayes in 1953. One story she told us was how our grandparents would leave the house to go somewhere and they would have a list of chores to have done by the time the adults got back. One time, while they were gone, my uncle didn't do any of his chores while my mom hurried to get hers done. When Grandma and Grandpa got back and asked why Kenny didn't do his chores, he told them Joyce didn't let him do his, she beat him up and locked him in the closet. My mom was immediately whooped and punished for it.

The next time the parents went out, Kenny turned to Joyce and said, “You better do all of my chores too or I'll just tell them you beat me up again and you'll get in trouble.” Joyce, our sweet mother, grabbed her little brother by the shirt and shoved him hard against the wall. “Kenny, if I'm going to get in trouble for ‘beating you up’ anyway, YOU are going to have something to show for it!”

Apparently, after that, they both went back to doing their separate chores before their parents came home. Which might explain more about why her kids are the way we are.

In school, she was a bit above average student and played flute in the Artesia High School Marching band as well as sang in the choir. She was always artistic in ways people didn't always expect.

While she was still in high school, she got a horse from someone who was going to send her right to the glue factory. She was a wild born Mustang who tended to be naturally intelligent. Her red brown with black mane and tail, was definitely proof of that rule. She was a stable mare for a trail riding string. The business got closed down and the horses that could be sold at auction were. But my mother's horse needed a home, or she was out of chances. At sixteen, Joyce owned her own mustang horse named Ribbon. She worked the stables to pay for food board and vet bills as they came.

She also worked as a certified nurse's aide for a brief stint in elderly and hospice care. However, she couldn't stand the treatment of the patients and the callousness of the nurses who worked there. After slipping a letter from a patient to his lawyer, a lawsuit started to not only get him out of the facility they kept him in against his wishes but sued them for wrongful imprisonment. Mom quit before they had a chance to fire her.

While working at Spillers Stables in Long Beach, she met George Welty. Recently back from Vietnam. He worked as one of the cowboys who did trail rides and took care of the horses. As she told it, she thought he was an arrogant jerk. Her horse Ribbon had a tendency not to favor male riders. Mom, knowing this, invited George to ride her horse. Which he did and as predicted, Ribbon began bucking trying to throw him off. However, George's long legs gave him an advantage, and he wrapped them around Ribbon and held on so Ribbon could not throw him off. Joyce was so mad thinking it was gonna knock him down a few pegs to get thrown off her horse. However, he finished the ride then got off the horse just as, if not more, arrogant than before.

Later, George asked Joyce to Marry him. They eloped in 1968 to Vegas and were married at the historical “We Kirk of the Heather” Chapel.

In 1969, George and Joyce lived in a small house off “Gaye Street” in Long Beach. They also welcomed their first daughter, Deborah Marie (named for her best friend in High School)

In 1973, George, Joyce and Debby moved to Glen Avon in Riverside (Now Jurupa Valley) onto Donna Way.

1974 they welcomed their son, Robert Denvy William to their family. At this time, Mom worked as a teacher's aide at the Glen Avon Christian School. Both Denvy and Debby attended school there for grade school as well.

Later she opened her home into childcare, “Welty's Family Daycare” taking kids to school, picking them up, and keeping them until their parents could pick them up after work.

In 1981, they welcomed their youngest daughter and last child, Marian Kimberly (Named for Joyce's mother).

In 1982, the family joined the Glen Avon 4H Livestock Boosters. Both Joyce and George remained active leaders in 4H for the next 40 years. While being leaders and resources leaders for Cooking and Swine always supported the 4H kids they helped raise. Their kids participating in Swine, sheep, poultry, rabbits, goats, cooking, sewing, arts n crafts, automotive and just about everything that was offered at one time or another and Joyce and George supported them in all of it. Even when they aged out and became leaders as well.

Joyce, once Marian started school in 1986, went to work for the Jurupa Unified School district. The technical term is now Nutritional Education. We all know her as the lunch lady. She worked at several schools first Jurupa Valley Highschool, then Mission Middle School, and finally Roubidoux High School where she remained until she retired in 2005.

They welcomed their first granddaughter when their eldest daughter married and Elysia Nicole Foraker who was 6 at the time into the family. Then another Granddaughter Brieauna Ashlynn Foraker in 1998.

Joyce and George spent their retirement taking care of each other as well as their home and grandkids joining bowling leagues that they visited Laughlin and Vegas 1-3 times a year.

In 2018, Joyce and George welcomed their Grandson, William George Mayes Welty into the family. Both Joyce and George were proud grandparents who loved spoiling and doting on him from the time he was born.

George passed away in January of 2025 leaving Joyce a widower, and her health declining. Her three kids Debby, Denvy and Marian took over her care and fought to keep her here in her home, so she was more comfortable and with her family who loved her so very much.

On the morning of June 23, she was having stomach trouble and was in pain that no medicine would help. She sent Marian and Debby to go lay down and sleep as her grandson William had school in the morning and she wanted him to make it. She would not put on her CPAP machine, and she wouldn't take any more medication. We asked her to let us call 911 and refused.

Having been the closest to her room, Marian turned off anything that made noise and listened for her to call us needing something or deciding she wanted us to call 911. It was why her last words could be heard, “Jesus, I need you.” It was followed by a long sigh and silence.

Joyce passed between 5am-5:15am. Her official death wasn't called officially until 6:17am when they came and worked on her trying everything, but it was clear she passed before they were ever called.

Joyce loved everyone. Always eager to hear what was happening with everyone, ready to lend an ear, provide a Kleenex and always ready to help. No one ever went hungry around Joyce; she always made sure everyone had enough to eat with some to take home.

She was a prayer warrior, every day. If she said she was praying for you, she was actually doing it, all day several times a day. Jesus was incredibly important to Joyce and as such the last words on her lips were calling him to come take her home.

She leaves behind her 3 children Debby, Denvy and Marian. Her three grandchildren Elysia, Breezy and William. And numerous others she thought of as her kids, Earl Yarnell, Jeremy, Kevin, Mark, Charity, Miranda, Jennifer, Jeanette, Jackie, and countless others.

Joyce A Welty was loved by most and will go on in their hearts and memories of the impact Joyce made in their lives.

Written by

~Marian K. Welty~