Joyce Ann Farrell

Joyce was born in Batavia, New York. She grew up on a picturesque farm in Naples, New York with her parents Harry Lewis Fenton and Bertha Artemisia (Bailey) Fenton.

Joyce joined the Navy in December 1950 in Pittsburgh, PA. While stationed in Mississippi she married the love of her life James (Jim) Farrell, in 1951. Throughout 42 years together, Joyce faithfully followed Jim wherever he traveled, including the 21 years he served in the Navy and Air Force. Her quiet demeanor belied her strength and her own adventurous soul. In 1959 she bravely traveled alone with four young children (ages 7, 5, 4, 3) to rural Tainan, Taiwan to join Jim. They did not live on the military base but in the community of Tainan for 3 years. When Jim retired from the AF in 1964, they moved to Australia for 4 years, living in Darwin, Northern Territory; Derby, and Fremantle, Western Australia; Brisbane and Cooktown, Queensland; and Port Lincoln, South Australia; they traveled to each of these destinations with their 4 children, including everything they owned in a car. Next they lived in Singapore for a year. True life-long adventurers they lived on a 32’ motor boat for a few years sailing around the coast of Florida and the Bahamas. They worked on Andros Island, Bahamas; they owned a poultry farm in Belize; driving through Mexico and Central America with all their worldly possessions in a car. Joyce and Jim collected moments, not things. They also lived in Guatemala, Florida, Texas, and Colorado. After Jim’s passing in 1993 Joyce remained in Colorado Springs to be near family. She continued to travel visiting Europe, Ireland, China, and other Asia countries. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The purpose of life, after all, is to live, to taste, experience it to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.”

Joyce’s interests included doing newspaper crossword puzzles which she did in ink, reading; especially books by Louis L’Amour, and spending time with her family.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, James (Jim) Farrell and her son Michael Farrell. She is also survived by her sister Lynn Britt; her brother Harry Fenton; and her children: Janice Compton, Tony Farrell, and Suzanne Graham; along with 14 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren.

Joyce’s amazing life was one adventure after another. She will be remembered for her devotion to family, kind spirit, generosity, compassion, constant optimism, and contagious smile.

A burial and celebration of her life will be held at Fairview Cemetery where she will be interred, next to her husband, James (Jim) Farrell, on Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 10 a.m.