Joy West

Joy, as she was known to friends and family, was born October 5, 1934 in Wayne County, Nebraska to Ludwig H. and Lucy Ann (nee Kester) Gramberg. The 5th of 7 children. She grew up on a farm that raised corn among other grains, her father being a sharecropper. She was baptized Christian at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wayne, Nebraska on March 31, 1935. She confirmed her faith on March 21, 1948 in the same church.

Joy had chores on the farm as any child would and was active in 4-H, garnering Certificates of Achievement in Homemaking and Cooking Projects and First Premium Blue Ribbons in the Wayne County Fair. Joy was involved in the Luther League of America, a youth organization, attending the National Convention “Christian Answer Boldly”, in Iowa City, Iowa in 1951. She also won a Good Citizenship medal, the qualification of which were honor, service, courage, leadership, and scholarship.

Joy’s family moved to town when her father became ill with cancer, each of her siblings taking on a job to help pay the bills while still attending school. Hers was working at the snack bar at Wayne State Teacher’s College in order to pay the family’s phone bill. This is the same college she would attend for a year after graduating from Hahn High school, on May 19th, 1952.

Joy went to California for a time, eventually coming back to Omaha, Nebraska to work at Mutual of Omaha’s Corporate Office in September 1959. She began as a keypunch operator and was eventually promoted to Section Supervisor of Agency Records after 7yrs with the company.

While living in Omaha, she met and married SMSgt. David Oliver West, on April 28, 1973, and they subsequently moved to Austin, Texas with their 3 daughters, Leslie, Kim and Laura as he had received orders for Bergstrom Air Force Base. After a year in Austin, Joy began work with the State Board of Insurance, ultimately overseeing the Credit Life Insurance Department.

Joy and Dave were members of and active in the life of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas. Joy being involved with bible studies, women’s groups, church picnics, Altar Guild, camping trips, Bethel Series, youth events such as jalapeno eating contests, Day School board, and Stephen Ministry among other activities. The couple were Godparents/sponsors to children and adults during that time.

After her retirement in 1988, Dave and Joy enjoyed travel to family and friends around the United States and abroad, crafting together and collecting fine art – beer steins, Beanie Babies, and glassware. Sadly, far too soon, Dave was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer and passed on after a 3-year battle on August 2, 2000, with Joy diligently caring for him. A special remembrance of her widow’s lunch group for their care and support of each other.

In January of 2002, Joy received a phone call from her younger brother which resulted in reconnecting with an old flame, Bill Little, and they subsequently moved to Brenham, Texas. She had resided there for the last 20 years and was active in Fortnightly, the Red Hat Society, Letti Phillips’ exercise classes, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Salem Lutheran Church.

She moved into Kruse Village in the Spring of 2019. She enjoyed her life there, from playing bingo to weekly Bible study. Appreciating the staff and their friendliness and support of her, from the dinning hall to the front desk. Enjoying stacks of mail from the many charities she supported, as well as correspondents from friends. And wearing her signature attire - hats, to lunch with her buddies, too numerous to mention, one could be inadvertently left out. Her smile floated down the hallway with her, whether by cane or rollator – so much for floating, but it went with her wherever she went – the smile that is. A special shout out to her special off-campus monthly lunch buddies, Ira and Julia, she always looked forward to your visits together.

Bill passed on April 6, 2020 of an ‘unknown’ ailment that took only 48 hrs. to manifest itself, put him on a ventilator, cause sepsis, renal failure and ending his life, according to doctors at the time. A special thanks to Pastor Jill Vivroux for support at her time of loss.

On November 28th,2022, upon an Emergency Room visit for breathing difficulty, thinking it to be heart related, Joy was informed that she had a mass on her lung. After a series of doctor visits, tests and ultimately hospitalization, on December 23rd, Joy was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung cancer-extensive stage, a particularly virulent and aggressive rare type that can double in a week.

On the afternoon of December 28th , 2022, at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical with the amazing care of nurses, Ryeleigh and Cera, with the support of Dr. Higginbotham of Hospice Brazos Valley, surrounded by her family through the night before and the day of, Joy, Joyous, Mother, Mom, Momma Somma, Momma Joy, Granny, Gigi {Great Granny} passed on in peace after the Lord’s prayer, after the hymn…Soon and very soon we are going to see the king… ain’t no crying there,… ain’t no dying there we are going to see the King… Hallelujah, Hallelujah, we’re going to see the King…

Joy is preceded in death by her parents, Lucy and Ludwig Gramberg; her siblings, sister Rodella Wacker and husband Bud, brother Gil Gramberg and wife Berniece, brother Dale and wife Marilyn, brother Kenny and wife Bev, and sister Anne(stillborn); her husband, Dave West and her partner, Bill Little; and her much loved canine companions: not a few farm dogs, Skipper, Tippy, Baron, Foxy, Willy, Sammy 1, Sammy 2.

Joy is survived by her daughter Leslie Formolo and husband Kevin, daughter Kim Little-Brooks and husband Ron Brooks, and daughter Laura Alexander; her grandchildren, DaMara Alexander, Jerrod Alexander, Remson Ates and Trevor Ates. She is survived by her younger brother Dr. Merlyn Gramberg and wife Karleen and great grandchildren: Preston, Braedyn, Zyana, Hazel, Harmonii, Jayceon, and the one to come, McKenzie and numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation for Joy will be held Saturday, January 14, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas. A funeral service will occur Saturday, January 14, 2023,11:00 a.m. at 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas. Following the service will be a committal at Cook-Walden/Memorial Hill Cemetery in Pflugerville, Texas. A reception will follow after the committal at the funeral home.

There will also be a Celebration of Life memorial service at Kruse Village in Brenham, Texas on Sunday, January 15th, 2023 at 1:00pm in the chapel with reception to follow. Rev. Walt Schindehette.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the Fischer House Foundation for veterans/military and their families or another charity of your choice that supports, children, veterans, or animals.

“21[Her] master said to [her], 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'” Matthew 25:21.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com for the West family.