Just 2 weeks before her 99th birthday, on the morning of March 11, 2026, Joyce Mavis Harrington moved to heaven. She is completely healed and is now with her beloved Jesus.

On March 24, 1927, Joyce was born in the family farmhouse at Colfax, Wisconsin. Her parents were Lewis and Lydia Lee, second-generation Norwegian immigrants. When Joyce was 10 years old, her father died in a farming accident. She had just started high school when her mother sold the farm and moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. After only one day at the Eau Claire school, she made up her mind that she would finish her studies back in Colfax with her long-time friends. She lived with relatives until graduation.

Back in Eau Claire with her family, Joyce attended beauty school and worked as a beautician for 7 years. Her outgoing personality made her a favorite with clients and co-workers. She had an active social life, dating but primarily having fun with a close group of girlfriends. One day she and her friends attended an Air Force exhibition where she met one of the presenters, Denver Harrington. He was stationed out of state but actively pursued her through letters, phone calls and occasional visits. His perseverance paid off, and in October 1952 Denver and Joyce were married.

Joyce enjoyed traveling and living on Air Force bases. As an adolescent she had expressed interest in joining the military, but her mother held that "good girls" did not join the armed forces. So instead, throughout her husband's 22-year military career, she enthusiastically embraced each posting, which included Texas, Montana, Wisconsin, Washington, Okinawa, and the Philippines.

Following Denver's retirement near McChord AFB, Joyce kept busy after their children grew up. She loved studying the Bible and for decades led a weekly women's Bible study. She also enjoyed working at the Puyallup Fair, returning each September to staff the gates with other retirees who had become friends.

In 2007, Denver died after a brief battle with cancer. He and Joyce had been married for 54 years. She spent time with her family and loved being "Grammy" and then "Great-Grammy." She continued to teach Bible studies, volunteer at church, and enjoy lunches, laughter, and travel with a close group of friends.

Joyce is survived by her daughter Vickie (Mike) Ware; daughter Cynthia (Steve) Holmes; son Scott Harrington; son Dennis (Camy) Harrington; granddaughters Amy, Elisabeth, Emily and Sabine; and great-grandchildren Tommy, Cecily, Dublyn, Oliver, Donovan, Milo and Theo.

She is preceded in death by her father Lewis Lee, mother Lydia Lee-Larsen, stepfather Verner Larsen, sisters Margie, Ardyce and JoAnn, and her husband Denver.