A Joyful Life

Greetings!  I have created this website to share my story and events in life.  My Mom's Celebration of Life was the initial motivation and as she so profoundly loved and gave of herself to her family, friends and ministry.  The first set of uploads will feature her life, story and celebration.   More to be added in time as I have to learn how to make all this happen!

                                    Celebration of Life

         Joyce Margaret Brown   AKA    Pastor Joyce Cann, Pastor Joyce Caspell

                                                    1936   -    2025

It is with great sorrow to share the passing of our cherished Mother, Friend, Pastor and Organist. She endured medical condition for over a year with dignity and strength with overwhelming love

Our loving Mother brought four children into this world and survived three husbands which she gave her love and support throughout her time here on earth. She is survived by her Four Children, Seven Grand Children, Four Great-Grandchildren and Two Great-Great-Grand Children.

At age 10, she began reading the Bible held that connection to God her entire life.

At the age of 15, she became recognized as a musical prodigy. She began contributing her talent by supporting the church, namely, Alondra Park UMC in Inglewood, California. She mastered the accordion, organ, piano and was involved in teaching music with well kinown studios of Gala Rini, Betty Thomas and even became close friends with Myron Floren (known from The Lawrence Welk Show). As kids, I remember we would go to the Floren's home in Beverly Hills and played with his children swimming in their pool.

In her younger days she was involved in acting, musical performances and led a musical group called the "Accordionettes" when she was involved in teaching music. I remember as a young child of having to hang around the studio while she worked having to listen to them play songs over and over being anxious to go outside and play!

She went on to contribute her musical talent to Methodist churches over the next several decades in Saugus, California, Shady Cove and Gold Hill Oregon where she was encouraged to ehlp the church's need for pastors by her dearest friend, Pastor Betty Luginbill. She completed her ministry education from Saint Paul School of Theology in 1987 and began her last career as a Pastor for the UMC.

She was assigned to small churches all over Oregon, including Days Creek, Lyons, Upper Rogue, Jordan Valley, Bay City, and Rainier before retiring in 2002. She continued supporting churches in Nehalem and Bay City as the Organist until her recent health issues required assisted living. I learned form the conference that only two of those churches still exist, Here in Bay City and Rainier!

Our Mom traveled to Israel with Pastor Betty Luginbill and downstairs there is an album with pictures of her travels all around holy land, and she even brought back Holy Water from Dead Sea and used it for Baptisms! You can view these and many other treasures after this service when we congregate downstairs.

Our mother was a faithful servant of the Lord and congregations with her gifts of ministry and music her entire life. We are so very proud and thankful to have been her children and can only hope to continue her passion for giving and sharing that unconditional love for our family, friends and community.