JOYCE (WARD) OWENS

Joyce (Ward) Owens, age 86, of Grandview, Missouri departed this life on April 1, 2025, surrounded by her loving family at home.

Joyce was born in Fifty-Six, Arkansas on March 13, 1939, the daughter of Lewis Garlin and Elsie (Gammill) Ward. She was the 3rd of 4 children, Dalton, Zelva Lea, Joyce and Glenda. She grew up at the beloved farm house on Roasting Ear Creek in Fifty-Six, Arkansas. On May 18th, 1956, she married Alton Owens and they had two sons Ronnie and Tommy. They shared 68 years of wedded bliss together. On May 18th, 1958, Alton and Joyce with a young son moved to Freehold, New Jersey for Alton to break in and learn the drywall trade. In 1960, they moved to Independence, MO and in the fall of 1965 moved to Grandview, MO where they made their home for the past 60 years. Joyce was a homemaker, wife, granny and the best cook/baker most have ever met. She loved her boys and her grandchildren more than anything and always made sure they were well taken care of at all times.

In 1980, Alton & Joyce became the sole owners of O&S Drywall where she was the bookkeeper Until they closed the business in 2010. You could often find her at a card table in the living room watching her soap operas as she paid the bills, ironed Alton's clothes and had supper on the stove when the work day was done. She was a lifelong member of the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church at Roasting Ear Creek and for over 50 years was also a huge part of El-Bethel Baptist Church in Belton, MO. She was a devout Christian and spent her life working for the Lord. She never liked or used foul language as she would always call it "dirty talk". She had a cantankerous laugh and smile that everyone loved to know and be around. She is now with the Lord, no longer in pain and can now rejoice with all her loved ones who have gone before her, including her son Ronnie.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Garlin and Elsie Ward; brother and sister-in-law, Dalton (Wanda) Ward; sister and brother-in-law, Zelva Lea (Udis) Brewer; brother-in-law, George Daniel; father and mother-in-law, Pate (Glee) Owens; and her son, Ronnie Dale Owens.

She is survived by her loving husband, Alton Owens of the home; sister, Glenda Martin (Gary) of Mountain View, AR; son, Tom Owens of Peculiar, MO; daughter in-law, Debbie Owens (Widow of Ronnie) of Belton, MO; sister-in-laws, Alice Daniel of Marshall, AR and Rita Fisk (Billy) of St. Joe, AR; nephew, Jeremy Brewer (Gina) of Belton, MO; niece, Angie sheets of Raymore, MO; 3 grandchildren, Heather Slusher (Matt) of Belton, MO, Blake Owens (Kayla) of Peculiar, MO, and Blaire Tarry (Travis) of Harrisonville, MO; four great-grandchildren, Celia and Andi Kay Slusher, Hadleigh Tarry, and Bristol Owens. Along with many other cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at Cullen Funeral Home, Inc., 612 W. Foxwood Dr., Raymore, Missouri 64083. A graveside service will be held at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Stevens Cemetery in Fifty-Six, Arkansas.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Inc., Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278