March 6, 1931 – Feb. 7, 2021
On Feb. 7, 2021, Joye Artemesia Thornton Walker’s spirit was released from her exhausted mortal body to return “Home.” Joye was born in the front bedroom of her parent’s house in Springville, Utah on March 6, 1931. Educated in Provo, Utah, she attended Maeser Elementary, Farrer Jr. High and the “cold” Provo High School. After high school she worked at First Security Bank in Provo.
Joye met Jack “W” Walker on a blind date and after falling deeply in love, they married Jan. 17, 1951, residing in Cedar City, Utah. They were blessed with five “amazing” daughters: Kris, Tracey, Peggy, Corinne and April, who were all born in the OLD Iron County Hospital in Cedar City; attended by the family doctor, JS Prestwich, M.D. As a young working mom, she worked for Frank Petty’s AG Grocery/Frozen Foods and also as a waitress at the Silver Leaf Café in Cedar City.
In 1963 looking for work, Joye and Jack moved and raised their family in Henderson, Nevada. Joye loved working with numbers. She worked as a bank teller in Boulder City, Nevada at the Bank of Nevada. Her checkbook always balanced to the penny. Joye worked as an accountant for EG & G for 18 years. Upon her retirement in 1989, Joye moved back to Southern Utah to settle with Jack in St. George where there was no snow to shovel.
Joye’s mind was beautiful and she wrote stories and poetry of travels and life. She enjoyed painting in oils, sewing, crocheting, fishing, camping, gardening, but she specifically loved cooking. Whenever she couldn’t sleep, she would cook. Recently when asked what the one thing she used to be able to do that she missed the most, her reply was “I miss cooking.”
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joye served in many callings; among which were mutual teacher, Sunday school secretary, primary counselor and ward teacher. She excelled as a teacher and a worker in data entry and extraction. However, her most profound, revered and sacred calling was that of MOM.
She lived up to her name as she taught us to live a joyful life. She is well-loved for now and for always.
Joye is survived by her daughters: Kris Mann, Tracey (George) Schultz, Peggy (Scott) Gifford, Corinne (Richard) Barton and April Walker; along with many loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her brothers: Vern (Peggy) Thornton and Gordon (Bonny) Thornton; sisters: Barbara Webb, Verle Hurst and June Gottfredson.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Oliver Willis and Artemesia Bennett Thornton; husband, Jack; sister, Mickie Dean; brothers: Don Thornton and Melvin Thornton; and granddaughter, Tana Petersen.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021 at 10 a.m., with a visitation at 9 a.m., at Metcalf Mortuary Chapel, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah. Interment will be Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the Cedar City Cemetery, 685 North Main Street, Cedar City, Utah.
Masks are required for those attending services.
Live streaming web-cast is available at www.metcalfmortuary.com by clicking on the obituary, then click on broadcast at the bottom. Web-cast will remain on-line for 90 days. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221. Visit Metcalf Mortuary’s website at www.metcalfmortuary.com for condolences, complete obituary and funeral listings.