Carol Joyce McElyea

1931 - 2016

Carol "Joyce" McElyea, 84, of Copan, died at 5 P.M. on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at her home northeast of Copan, surrounded by her family.
Funeral services will be held at 10 A.M. on Thursday, December 1, 2016 in the Stumpff Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Bush, her son-in-law officiating. Interment will be in the Ochelata Cemetery under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory.
Friends who wish may call for visitation at the Stumpff Funeral Home and the family will receive guests at the funeral home from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. on Wednesday.
Memorial funds have been established and those who wish may send their contributions to the Salvation Army, 101 N. Bucy, Bartlesville, Okla., 74003 or to Elder Care, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 74006.
Joyce was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 26, 1931 to Villis G. Patrick and LaVeda L. (Bacus) Patrick. She grew up and received her early education in southeast Kansas until finishing her education by graduating from Dewey High School in 1949. She was then married and had four children. She later married Robert McElyea on April 19, 1966. She attended secretarial school in Bartlesville and they made their home in Bartlesville and Copan until Mr. McElyea's death in 1984. She and Roy E. House became companions in 1985 and made their home in Copan where they combined their families. Mr. House preceded her in death in 2002. Joyce had held various secretarial jobs at businesses in Bartlesville and in 1972 she became the first female meter reader for the City of Bartlesville. She continued her employment with the City of Bartlesville in the Water Department and then as a records clerk at the Bartlesville Police Department until her retirement. She was a member of the Town & Country Christian Church. She loved to play bingo and cards and loved to work on genealogy. She has been in ill health for the past four years.
Survivors include two daughters, Deniece Bush and husband Mike of Bartlesville, and Jona Martin and companion, Bobby Smith of Copan, a daughter-in-law, Gay Wheeler, four grandchildren, Jona Johnson and husband Cliff, Robert Blevins and wife Helen, Shelly Barrientos, and Hollie Veach and husband Joel, and ten additional loving grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren which includes her "Little Man", Spencer Veach, and six great great grandchildren, her additional children, Ed House and wife Paula, Keith House and wife Debbie and Merri Murphy and husband Tim. She was also preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, one sister, three children, Theodore "Teddy" Hitchcock, Dynda Lue Escobedo and James D. House.
Friends who wish may sign the online guest book and leave condolences at www.stumpff.org.