Joyce Arline Wans

1950 - 2019

Joyce Arline Wans, 69, passed away after a long illness on September 29, 2019 in Georgetown, Texas. She was born in July 1950 in Seattle to Theodore Edward Wans and Margaret (Liljedahl) Wans of Mountlake Terrace, WA. The family moved to Salt Lake City in 1959. There Joyce graduated from Olympus High School in 1968. The family then spent a year in San Jose, CA, where Joyce attended San Jose State before returning to Seattle with the family where she graduated from the University of WA. Joyce worked with her father at U.S. Plywood during her time at U of W. Joyce had a successful career in the insurance industry, earning the respected designation of Chartered Life Underwriter and authoring a well-received book on stop loss prevention. Her career included stints with Safeco in Seattle, Prudential in Los Angeles, and Blue Cross in Seattle. She rose to the level of Vice President at the reinsurance company Duncanson & Holt Group, where she traveled the world and worked extensively in Malaysia. She retired early and used that time to volunteer in the Mukilteo, WA, area, where she had settled, and to travel. During her travels she met Ron Addison, the love of her life. They were together for eight years before marrying in 2014 and moving to Georgetown, TX. As an added bonus, Joyce came to know and enjoy time with Ron's daughter, son, and their families. Ron passed away in 2018 and Joyce missed him every day. Joyce had a great interest in genealogy and conducted extensive research. In Texas Joyce was asked to give several talks to genealogy societies. She was also an avid photographer. Joyce was preceded in death by her beloved parents and husband. She is sorely missed by her sisters, Sharon Payne (David) of Georgetown, Linda Arink (Bruce) of Mukilteo, her brother, Larry Wans of Lynnwood, WA, as well as by Ron's family. While Joyce had no children of her own, she took great joy in her six nieces, their five children, and her step-granddaughter. Joyce was considered the fun aunt and grandma who always had a great time with the kids. She was a bit of a free spirit who lived life on her own terms and packed a lot into her 69 years. Interment will be at Edmonds Memorial Cemetery following a private family gathering in Mukilteo.