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Joyce Darlene Warter, lovingly referred to by her family and friends as “Grandma Sunshine,” age 79, passed away peacefully at her residence in Claypool, Arizona on Saturday, March 24, 2018 surrounded by her loving family. She was a Native Arizonan, born in Miami, Arizona, to Kenneth and Leona Beedle on Nov. 22, 1938.
Joyce loved to perform. During high school, she was a drum majorette, participated in the Glee Club and was named Miss Gila County in 1957. She played Samaris of Bangalore in “Kismet” with the Phoenix Opera, played violin with the Phoenix Symphony and danced with the Phoenix Ballet where she also taught ballet. She also taught tap in Phoenix as well as playing the piano and cello.
Joyce attended Brigham Young University and attended cosmetology school in Oklahoma, opening a beauty shop in Springerville, Arizona after graduation. She returned to Miami to marry her high school sweetheart, Jack C. Warter, Jr. after he got out of the Navy. Joyce was multi-talented and worked as a librarian for the school district as well as at the local mining company in numerous positions to include switchboard operator, executive secretary and running the rock shop and giving tours of the mine, and also wrote computer help programs before retiring.
Joyce loved doing hobbies including faceting stones, leather, calligraphy, pottery, computer photo editing and scrapbooking, making Kachina dolls, making Native American pottery, painting, and many numerous hobbies. She also loved collecting Indian artifacts and collectibles.
She is preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband, Jack C. Warter, Jr. and her beloved father, Kenneth Guy Beedle.
She is survived by all who loved her and will miss her dearly, to include her children, Vern, of Chandler, Arizona; Nikki Martinez, of Chino Hills, California; Dan and his wife, Janet, of Tucson, Arizona; her mother, Leona Beedle, of Globe, Arizona, her sister, Patti, of Apache Junction, Arizona; her brother, Chester, of Apple Valley, California; her grandchildren Danielle, Nicholas, Ashlyn, Jondalar, and Gage; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
Graveside Services will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the Payson Pioneer Cemetery, 377 South Vista Rd., Payson, Arizona 85541. A Reception will follow at the Elks Lodge BPOE No. 2154, 1206 N. Beeline Hwy., Payson, Arizona 85541.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to the “Jack C. Warter, Jr. Memorial Elks Youth Camp” in Arizona in the name of “Joyce Warter” at www.facebook.com/ArizonaElksYouthCamp.
