Barbara Joyce Peel

Barbara Joyce Peel passed away unexpectedly on May 18, 2015 in Bremerton. She was born March 1, 1947 to Lloyd and Nelle (Vann) Eickelman in Herrin, IL. Her parents preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, Michael Peel of the family home in Silverdale; children Trey (Brandy) Hamilton of Glendale AZ, Cassandra (Rick) Galde of Chesapeake VA, Michael Peel II of Silverdale, and Benjamin (Jean Ann) Hamilton of Chico; 11 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren on the way. She is also survived by brothers Dennis Eickelman of Pearland, TX and Bobby Eickelman of Decatur, TX; and sister Dottie Jane Kirker of Bethel, OH. She was loved by all, and will be greatly missed.

Joyce was raised in the Cincinnati, OH area, where she enjoyed riding her horse ‘Lady’ bareback for many hours each day during her childhood. She met the love of her life in New Richmond, OH in November of 1981, and they were together ever since. Joyce and Mike were married in New Richmond on May 4, 1985.

Following Mike’s employment, they lived and worked in Liverpool, NY; back to Cincinnati for a stretch, and then moved to the Bremerton area in 1987, where Mike resumed his Naval Shipyard career that he had left in 1981. Joyce worked for some time as a Customer Relations Specialist at Fred Meyer in East Bremerton, and then began a career at Kitsap Transit as an Operator in 1995. She absolutely loved that job, but was unfortunately injured while stepping off a coach with ice on the steps, which eventually led to her early disability retirement in 2010. This disability, combined with the permanent effects of a pituitary adenoma removed in January 2004, eventually led to a life of pain and near total immobility. I am so grateful that she no longer suffers.

Mike & Joyce thoroughly enjoyed traveling, went on many ocean cruises and traveled at least 20 times to Kauai to stay at their timeshare condominiums, many times taking a grandchild or two along, or perhaps her brothers and sister, and also enjoyed the company of our friends Terry & Susie Hornseth, or Joyce’s good friend Sharon Orbaker, or our friend Steve Templeton, or most recently our friends Mark & Connie Dawson. Every trip to Kauai included a luau, and Joyce always enjoyed the poi (not!). She cherished these times.

Our 30th Wedding Anniversary was celebrated on the island of St. Croix the first week of May. Although Joyce was injured and Mike was ill with pneumonia, the celebration is still a cherished memory.

Joyce was the consummate wife, mother and grandmother. She was generous to a fault. She loved all without qualification. All who knew her loved her, that’s just the kind of person she was.

Joyce & Mike are truly “Together Forever”. Rest in Peace, My Love.