Joyce Esely

Fritch

Joyce M. Esely, 88, of Fritch, passed away Monday, May 9, 2016 in Fritch.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2016 at the First Southern Baptist Church with Pastor Calvin Winters officiating. Burial will follow in the Garden of ''Love'' at Westlawn Memorial Park. Services are under the direction of Minton Chatwell Funeral Directors of Fritch.

Joyce M. Esely was born September 29, 1927 in Oklahoma to Ralph H. and Avis B. (Winchell) Townsend. She married Jack Edward Esely December 14, 1947 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and had lived in Hutchinson County since 1947. Joyce worked at the Golden Plains Hospital for 35 years as a registered nurse.

She was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church and was a celebrated, published author of books for gifted children. Each of her books focused on the Texas Panhandle and its history. For several years she wrote a column for the Eagle Press in Fritch. Joyce was also an accomplished public speaker.

Joyce was a museum docent for the Hutchinson County Museum for seven years, and educational director for the Lake Meredith Museum for two years. She spoke several times a year to the school classes on Texas history, covering every school in Hutchinson County. Since she was a talented miniaturist, she made many dioramas and miniature houses to demonstrate whatever time period or subject she was speaking about on that visit. Joyce made and donated miniature dioramas to the Hutchinson County Museum, Shamrock Museum, Kerrville Crippled Children's Camp, Ronald McDonald House, Hutchinson County Library, and many others.

She was a Girl Scout troop leader in Borger, neighborhood chairman in Phillips, and a day camp director. Joyce was also a member of the Society for Creative Anachronisms. In the SCA, she was known as Lady Joanna. She really enjoyed studying, reading and recreating the medieval period.

Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack, her son Jerry T. Esely, and her sister Mary Ellen Cooper.

Survivors include her two daughters, Mary Jane Esely of Amarillo, Julie Esely Erwin and husband Leon of Fritch; two grandchildren, Maleah and Dalton Erwin, and numerous nieces and nephews.

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