Joyce Faye DeSpain

1937 - 2024

Joyce Faye DeSpain
September 27, 1937 - December 7, 2024
Joyce Faye HIll DeSpain was born September 27, 1937 in Bryce Arizona to Delbert "Dee" Hill and Lillie "Belva" Orum. She was the 3rd of six children in her family. Francis Robertson, Patsy Adams, Delbert Hill and Bessie Bell who have all predeceased her and her sister Betty Burns who currently lives in St. George, Utah. She grew up in and around Pima, Arizona and spent most of her life there. She had many wonderful memories of going to school in Pima, working at the old Pima theater and living across the river where her dad farmed and her mother tended to the family.
She later attended ASU with her lifelong friend Loretta Graves of Thatcher. They both became teachers. Her first teaching job was in Needles California after which she was offered a teaching position in Pima. She enjoyed teaching school and spent many years teaching 1st grade at Pima Elementary School. After retiring from teaching she worked for Walmart as a greeter for several years and got to see many of her former students, now all grown up with families of their own as they came to shop.
She married Jack DeSpain of Holbrook Arizona in 1963. They had two sons, Henry DeSpain (LaDawn) of Gilbert, Arizona and Byron DeSpain who passed away in early 2019. She was blessed with seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren with one more on the way. During the last few years of her time in Pima she lived across the street from her granddaughter Shelby (Nathan) and their family which she really enjoyed.
She loved her grandchildren dearly and would often have them over to spend the afternoon or weekend. As they grew older they would come back with their friends to meet Grandma Jo-Jo and she would cook for them. She loved to cook and would often try different recipes out on family members. She was always willing to cook a meal for missionaries or families in the ward that needed help. Genealogy was a passion for her. She spent many hours researching her family history and mapping out her family tree which had never been done before. Joy was known to her family as the go to person on anything related to their family history. She was always tending a garden or at a minimum a few tomato plants. A habit she picked up from her mom. She loved fresh tomatoes and seeing things grow.
Joy passed away quietly on December 7, 2024. She was loved by her family and friends and will be missed.
Graveside services for Joy were conducted Saturday afternoon, December 14th at the Pima Cemetery.