Betty Joyce Duxbury

Betty Joyce Haddon Duxbury, age 87, passed away on Friday November 29, 2024, at the Hospice House in Mountain Home, Arkansas, surrounded by her family.

She was born July 15, 1937 in Kidder, Missouri. Her mom, Nan Edith Sparks and dad John Frisbie Haddon moved their family to Kansas City, Kansas where she lived until she married at age 20. She had 3 children and was a stay at home mom for 10 years.

Her first job was as a switchboard operator at the age of 18. She then worked as a water meter reader in Merriam, Kansas, where she dealt with many snakes, dogs, and blisters on her feet. She spent the next 30 years working in Shawnee, KS at an animal health company that underwent many name changes including Bayvet, Mobay, Cutter, Haver-Lockhart, and Bayer Corporation. She began in the finishing department and worked her way up to Microbiology/Toxicology Assistant at Bayer Animal Health where she retired in April 1999 at the young age of 61.

Joyce lived a simple life at home and enjoyed her peace. In her retirement she loved to plant flowers and bird watch. She loved to dance, from square dancing to country. She spent many years in Cortez, Florida and enjoyed million dollar gulf views. She was actively involved in the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch conservation initiative and spent many hours walking up and down the beach monitoring, marking and protecting sea turtle nests. She also enjoyed looking for shark's teeth and had a large collection of them.

Joyce is preceded in death by her sister, Delores "Dee" Haddon Simpson of Shawnee, KS and brother, Sidney "Sid" Haddon of Arvada, CO.

She is survived by her children Vicki Lonborg (Kirke) of AR, John Duxbury (Susan) of TX, and Ernie Duxbury of AR. Grandchildren Robin Lonborg (Brian Monser) of KS, Kristina Holmquist (Jason) of TX, and Christopher Duxbury (Kelsey) of TX and 4 great grandchildren, Ryatt, Raelyn, Abigail and Parker of TX.