Joyce (Waddell) Sherwin

This was one special lady. She was F-U-N, FUN! Joyce (Baumgartner Waddell) Sherwin died of natural causes at her home in Downey, California on September 5, 2022. She was 94 years young. For her 94th natal day in June, she treated herself and her family to parasailing (her 8th time) because that's what she wanted to do! (Pictured, Joyce with son Laird enjoying the ride)

She was vibrant, full of life, kind, silly, and generous, with an easy laugh and a clever sense of humor. She loved animals (especially pet dogs and cats), classical music, word games, unabridged dictionaries, Etruscan horses, African meerkats, the Greek trireme, and taking long baths. Her favorite colors were pink and green, together. When writing cursive, she dotted her letter i's with a circle. She was chased by a bear in Yosemite. She flew in an ultralight aircraft over Kaua'i. She conducted "Seventy-Six Trombones" at a performance with the Downey Symphony Orchestra. She completed difficult crossword puzzles in pen.

Joyce called Downey home for 59 years. "Downey has lost a true pillar of the community," said her dear friends Barbara and Richard Sterling. They are right: she contributed many newspaper articles published in the Downey Patriot, served on the Downey Symphony Guild's Board of Directors, volunteered for ESL classes, and played piano or served as Reader for the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Downey. She was an excellent hostess, often holding meetings for the church or symphony board at her home.

While being handed an ice-cream cone at a counter, 10-year-old daughter Linden whispered to Joyce, "Mommy, did you see that lady's long fingernails?" The reply, "No dear, I was looking into her soul." That was Joyce (who preferred nicknames Jerce or Opsie). She was also a long-time supporter of Hidden Valley Music Seminars, an Institute of the Arts in Carmel Valley, California. HVMS recently dedicated 'Jerce Circle' in her honor.

Born June 5, 1928 in Hampton, Iowa to Ralph W. Baumgartner, an insurance salesman, and Winifred (nee) Inglis, a homemaker, Joyce was raised in Mason City, Iowa. Their family residence was just down the alley from Meredith Willson's boyhood home (creator of The Music Man). She and older brother Stan and eldest sister Jean especially loved visiting The Outing Club at nearby Clear Lake, where Grandmother Inglis owned a cottage. Joyce studied piano, enjoyed singing, and was a good student.

Her family moved from Mason City when she was a sophomore in high school to Santa Monica, California, and she finished school as Salutatorian at Santa Monica High (pictured).

At Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, Joyce was a proud English major who earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree (Class of 1950). She was very musical, playing piano and singing alto. While at Oxy, she performed in the Glee Club where she met John Storer Waddell Jr., who became her first husband. John was a music major studying under Howard Swan. He earned his Master of Arts Degree and became a renowned educator and choral conductor. They had 3 children, settled in Downey, and were amicably divorced after 17 years.

Next Joyce melded her English skills, crackerjack shorthand and love of music at Los Angeles City College as Secretary for the Head of the Music Department, a position she held for 16 years. When under a deadline at her busy job (and not to be disturbed) she wore a black paper handlebar mustache to warn everyone to 'stay clear.' She enjoyed sporting various silly mustaches her whole life, most recently printed on her favorite Covid mask (pictured).

In 1991 she married Amos G. Sherwin and together they bought a home in Downey and a vacation home in Big Bear, CA. They were very active in the Christian Science churches in Downey and later Whittier, and enjoyed traveling within the Continental United States, to Hawaii and Alaska, and internationally to Tahiti, Turkey, The Holy Land, Greece, England, Scotland, and Wales. Amos predeceased Joyce in 2003.

Little tidbits:

Every morning Joyce loved having breakfast in her backyard gazebo and feeding the wild birds and squirrels.

Joyce was devoted to pets, and kindness dictated her care. During her lifetime she doted on cats and dogs, of course, but she also kept chameleons, fiddler crabs, goldfish, rabbits, mice, hamsters, and allowed daughter Pinky to own 2 snakes! Joyce was the type who wouldn't move her legs at night if a cat were sleeping in the crook of her knee. She let the dog walk her. She overfed treats.

She could be very opinionated. She did not like the saxophone, the Hammond organ, Roller Derby, nor monkeys. She did not like Howard Cosell's broadcasts. She did not approve of tattoos.

Her heritage was mostly Scottish and she delighted in stirring bagpipe music. She could imitate a bagpipe with her voice (preferring to serve as drone). She could also imitate the Hawaiian guitar by humming and plucking her nose. We told you she reveled in being silly!

Joyce remained 'Iowa proud' and loved returning to Mason City as an adult, posing with Meredith Willson's statue, visiting The Music Man Square and its museum featuring 76 trombones on the ceiling, and sharing Fourth of July festivities with her brother and sister.

She valued her privacy and was independent, right up to the end.

Joyce was a sincere follower of the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science faith. She was quite dedicated to the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Downey, and more recently, Whittier. Her vibrant spirit and good health to age 94 were a testament to her faith.

Throughout her life she enjoyed words, word play, correct grammar, and was many peoples' "go-to" for advice regarding the confounding, appropriate use of lie vs. lay; its vs. it's; the mundane mistake of your vs. you're; as well as various spelling, punctuation and phrasing tips.

She enjoyed playing solitaire (solo, double and triple), Free Cell and Boggle. She was competitive, but a gracious loser.

For about 10 years Joyce and Amos owned a cabin in Big Bear, California. She loved sitting on its large deck, feeding the wild animals, and taking in the fresh air and pine tree and mountain views. She was very generous in offering the cabin as get-away lodging for family and friends.

Joyce is survived by son Laird Alexander Waddell (wife Elisabeth Feole), daughter Linden Elizabeth Waddell (husband Paul Tzanetopoulos), daughter Mariana (Pinky) Victoria Lee Sales (husband Kevin Sales); step-son Ron Sherwin (wife Leslie); grandchildren Kristen Sales, Colin Sales, Caitlin Sales, Dartanyan Tzanetopoulos, Eden Tzanetopoulos; step-grandson John Feole, step-granddaughter Meredith Sherwin (husband Matthew Talley); nieces and nephews Melanie Sanders, Robert Sanders, Scott Vadney, Dawn Siglin and Kit Dailey, and many grandnieces and nephews.

How does one gauge a life well-lived? If it were to treat every living creature with love and respect, to cherish rightfulness, decency and honesty, to delight in goodness and optimism, to bring fun to every event, to make an acquaintance feel heard, to practice silliness daily, and to wear a red clown nose when waving goodbye to your company, then Joyce B. Sherwin hit it out of the park (even if she never played baseball).

Joyce did not want a funeral service, but a Celebration of Life event will take place. She wished to be buried with a difficult crossword puzzle, a Bic pen, and a picture of a bathtub. Joyce B. Sherwin rests at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, California, with those items (and a red clown nose, too).