A Joyful Life

Greetings! We have created this website to share our Mother's story and events in life.   Her "Celebration of Life"  was held on Saturday, May 9th 2026 with most all of her children and grand-children, her sister, nieces, nephews and nearly all of her church family and friends attending.  She so profoundly loved and gave of herself to her family, friends, music and ministry over the course of her life that not enough can be said or done to exemplify her impact on so many lives in her life story..  

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                                    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 and 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" and she was also 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 help 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 United Methodist Church for the Oregon Idaho Conference.

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

Our Mom traveled to and helped organize tours to Israel with Pastor Betty Luginbill and during the Celebration downstairs there was an album with pictures of her travels all around holy land.  She even brought back Holy Water from Dead Sea and used it for Baptisms! 

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.