Joyce Evelyn Spence
May 27th, 2014
SPENCE, Joyce Evelyn
July 4, 1956 – May 27, 2014
It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Joyce. Joyce will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Richard Abbenbroek; children, Carmen, Jennifer, Jessica, Shawn; grandchildren; mother, Mary Henwood; brother, David (Carol); and sisters, Reta (Maurice), Betty (Luc), Barbara (Jerry), Norma (Kevin); as well as many nieces and nephews. Joyce was predeceased by her former husband, William Spence and by her father, Ken Henwood. All of our lives were made much better on this earth by Joyce, for she was a good mother, daughter, sister, friend, aunt and wife.
A Celebration of Joyce's Life will be held at Centre Street Church, 3900 - 2 Street N.E., 2nd Floor Chapel, Calgary, Alberta on Friday, June 6, 2014 at 11:00 a.m, all are welcome to attend. The family ask that in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes in Joyce's memory may be made to the Calgary Humane Society, 4455 – 110 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB, T2C 2T7 (https://www.calgaryhumane.ca/onetimedonation).Messages:
I want to express my sincere condolences to Joyce’s family. Joyce was a co-worker at both the Library and the Calgary Police Service. I considered her a friend as well. I admired her quick dry wit and positive outlook. What I admired most was Joyce’s ability to downplay her own health issues. For Joyce, family always came first!
You will be remembered for your sense of humor and infectious laugh! How your light shined with so much warmth in those moments. Thank you for all those conversations filled with understanding and sound advice. I will miss that! Here on earth was so short for you but you will be living in our hearts forever. So, no more mushy stuff said and not saying good bye either. Only a until we meet again in this crazy cosmic journey!
Richard, My deepest sympathies to you and your family. Joyce will always and forever be your found treasure.
I am sending condolences on behalf of the Finance and Purchasing team from Calgary Public Library that used to work with Joyce. It seems like so many years ago now. I know Richard and the family's grief is still raw but Joyce has been released from her pain after that short reprieve.
JOYCE E. SPENCE Not only was she my most beautiful Bride and Wife but my Best Friend. Whom; I shall LOVE, forever and ever as she was GOD's gift to me. I miss you so, and the nights without you are now so long, silent and cold... Again, I will Love you always Joyce, from your husband Richard... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7FRbeaXjvk
I was very sorry to hear of Joyce's passing. My thoughts are with you during this sad and difficult time.
My heart goes out to the entire family. Joyce was an amazing person with a heart of gold. Joyce had a way of making everyone around her feel special. What an amazing grandma! always there for her grandchildren proudly displaying the little gems the kids had made over the years including pictures, ceramics and just about anything they came home with. Joyce will always have a special place in my heart - good people and chuckle when I think about her sense of humor.
Sir Richard, I am so sorry I cannot be with you on Friday. My heart cries for you but soars for Joyce in her new journey. Take her love with you everywhere. Lisa
THE HARDEST PART OF POST FUNERAL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W3bLCjW1HE People during a funeral are like birds before the gathering of winter. They fly all around you and at the same time they fill the air with multitudes of deafening, yet comforting singing sounds. Some appealing, some not, then suddenly something calls them all away. The comfort of them being near you, is now all but gone. You feel alone and at the same time abandoned. Like the fields in winter that they flew over which now, have become silent, frozen and very, very cold, as you find yourself in your empty home. With GOD, He is there but in your prayers that you made on your bended bleeding knees seem un-heeded but still with Him, you’re never alone, though you feel at times so. The person that you loved who has just passed, you look for everywhere, through many a look like person in varying stages of their life and reels of memories of them are playing like TV commercials, 24/7 in your mind. Some good, some bad but you know that they are now in heaven somewhere, as you look desperately for them; the coffee waits in cups of conversation filled for just one. The silence is almost to the point of aching within your being and though needed, really no amount of hugs or holding and gentle strokes of care will bring your loved one back or make this ache of your heart and mind go away! Not now at least, though being held does help you adjust, by stopping your drifting alone by yourself, on the new ice flow of your heart through a sea of despair and further into an ocean of the unknown. So for me, this is the hardest part of Post Funeral. The hardest part because you distinctively know, time will help you learn to deal with this and through your faith one day, GOD will also call you home…but not now, not now, sadly not now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBpdf3aCaTo By, Richard Abbenbroek… Thinking, breathing and dreaming of Joyce… P.S. AGAIN THANK YOU ALL, TO THOSE who gave Love, Support, Donated, Sent Cards, Flowers, Gave Hugs and Helped Celebrate Joyce’s Life Yesterday Together! May GOD bless you all, always...