Reta Whitbeck

Reta (Joyce) Whitbeck Born in Detroit, Michigan, to Marvin and Helen (Kangas) Simmons, Joyce lived a life marked by compassion, dedication, and quiet strength.
A graduate of Pershing High School, Cleary College, and Kellogg Community College, she earned her associate degree in nursing in 1976. Her deep care for others defined her career as a nurse, serving patients at Albion Community Hospital and the Albion College Health Center.
Joyce was deeply devoted to her community. She was active in the Hospital Service League, the Hospital Gift Shop, the Albion Garden Club, the Albion Historical Society, and Melting Pot, a local group promoting racial understanding. For nearly three decades, she volunteered with Good Samaritan of Battle Creek and Cornerstone Hospice in the Tavares-Mount Dora area of Florida.
She married Stanley Brown on Nov. 12, 1955. They filled their years together with travel, learning, friends, and a shared love of God before his passing in 1978. They had two children, Susan Brown and Christopher Brown.
Through her friend Jo Cunningham, Joyce met the love of her life, Calvin "Cal" Whitbeck, at a hospice event in the early 1980s. They married on May 5, 1984, and remained devoted to one another until his passing in 2022.
Joyce cherished her expanded family, including her stepchildren Calvin Whitbeck Jr. (deceased), Linda Jirous, Bill Whitbeck, and Robert Whitbeck (deceased), along with their spouses, children, and grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Dale Simmons and his wife Nancy; their children Lisa D'Amore, Sherry Singh, and Marvin Simmons, and their families.
Her strong faith guided her throughout her life. She was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Albion and later of the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Dora, where she was active in Presbyterian Women and served as a deacon.
Joyce passed away peacefully at home on Oct 23, 2025, surrounded by love. She will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, wry humor, and love of flowers, gardening, reading, antiques, and helping others. Those who knew her were truly blessed.