Joy was born on December 22, 1931, in Pecos, Texas.
As the youngest of six children, she spent most of her days enjoying time with her parents, her siblings and her cousins. She graduated from Pecos High School in 1949 and attended college at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.
She began a career in furniture sales in Pecos where she met the love of her life and future husband, Sam E. Ashmore. Joy and Sam were married in Pecos in 1952 and Sam was soon transferred to Memphis, Tennessee, with Trans Texas Airways, where they lived for seven years before being transferred to the new Houston Hobby Airport.
It is here that they settled in South Houston and she began what she considered the most important role of her life, that of mother. Joy was always very supportive of her boys and could often be seen taking them to their many activities that they were involved with, as well as encouraging their participation in the Catholic Church. She enjoyed the many friendships they developed on Regal Street and her loyal nature was seen as these all developed into lifelong friendships.
Many summers were spent taking the boys back to Pecos, Bangs and Brownwood to visit their grandparents and family, who meant so much to her. They enjoyed their annual Thanksgiving gathering at her sister-in-law’s home in Junction every year, as well as Sam’s Cousin Reunions. Sam and Joy moved to the Woodland Heights in 1989 so they could be closer to Sam’s office. She was always supportive of his ever-growing, 45-year career at Continental Airlines. Friends from Regal Street followed them to the Woodland Heights and she enjoyed them, as well as many new friends and close neighbors who continued to check in on her after Sam passed away in 2018.
She loved quilting, spending time with her grandchildren, visiting her sons and their families who lived in Houston, Spring, Carson City and S. Lake Tahoe. She always welcomed with open arms the many visits from nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters and friends who would be traveling through Houston, While Joy was humble and soft spoken, the importance of her faith was always evident and demonstrated. She could be seen often volunteering at the All Saints Catholic Church Food Pantry and enjoying the fried fish meals. Joy never strayed from her humble beginnings and instilled the same values and work ethics in her boys. As she navigated the trials in her life, she was full of grace and refinement, and always took time to ask how you were doing, no matter what she had going on in her own life.
Joy is preceded in death by her parents Max and Rosalie Otto; husband, Sam Ashmore, her three year old son, Royce, her son Colin in 2006; her siblings James, William, Elmer, Robert and Mary. Her daughters-in law, Claudia Ashmore and Melody Ashmore; Sam’s parents, Hopson and Ada Ashmore, her sister-in-law, Betty Murr Norton, and brother-in-law, Hop Ashmore and her beloved cousins.
Joy is survived by her sons Scott and Tracy Ashmore, Kendall Ashmore and Nick Ashmore. Her grandchildren, Orion Ashmore and Michael George, Sam Ashmore, Erik Ashmore and Emile Shaw, Kyle and Jordyn Ashmore, Rachel and Jake McGuire, Sydney, Scott, Kate, Parker and Blake Ashmore.
The family would like to thank Maria Safuentes and Fanny Mendiola for the care they showed Joy over the last few years.
A family memorial service will be held on Monday, April 15, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Angels at Forest Park Lawndale with interment to follow.
The family request that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the charity of your choice or choose to do an act of kindness in honor of Joy.
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