Joyce Arlene Dewell
Joyce Arlene Dewell passed away peacefully surrounded by family on March 31, 2024 in Winfield. She was 91 years old. Joyce was born in Bucklin, on June 28, 1932 to James Ernest (J.E.) and Mayme Melvina Birney (Frazier). She was the youngest of three children. Joyce grew up in western Kansas and graduated from Bucklin High School in 1950. During high school, she played tenor saxophone in the band, did track (hurdles and pole vaulting), and was a drum majorette. She attended Emporia State University and was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. Later, while she was living with her sister Wynona and brotherin- law Harold McCarty in New York, she received a marriage proposal from Hal in a letter, while he was enlisted in the Air Force and serving in England.
She and Hal were married in Fairford, England in 1953 (the year Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth) and lived in Cirencester (Glouchester County). After Hal’s service, they lived for a short time in Bucklin, where their son Scott was born in 1954. She and Hal moved to Emporia, where Hal completed his degree at Emporia.
Joyce worked at Hallmark while Hal attended Dental School at UMKC, until he graduated and they opened a dental office in Eureka, in 1962. Krista was born in Hutchinson in 1964, Susan in Wichita in 1966 and Jana in Wichita in 1967. Joyce worked at the Eureka Title Company for 7 years after also working at the dental office. During her time in Eureka, Joyce was an involved member of the community, including Entre-Nous, Hospital Auxiliary, Bridge Club, Women’s Bowling League, and an active member of the Christian Congregation Church. She and her husband also attended their daughters’ school activities, music programs, and sporting events.
Joyce and Hal moved to Branson in 1996 and built their house in 1998. Joyce worked at Liz Claiborne for 13 years. She and her husband were active members of the Branson Christian Church Disciples of Christ, where they made many good friends.
Throughout her life, Joyce was focused on family and was known for fondly telling her husband “Halburt, get it right.”
Preceding Joyce in death were her husband of 67 years Dr. Halburt L. Dewell (Branson, Mo.), parents J.E. and Mayme Birney (Bucklin), children Scott Carey and Krista Ann Dewell (Eureka), sister Wynona McCarty (Napa, Calif.), and brother Kenneth Birney (Phoenix, Ariz.).
She is survived by her two daughters Jana Parkes (Arkansas City) and Susan Dewell Crassaerts (Luxembourg), one son-in-law Randy Parkes, four grandchildren Haley Shogren (Winfield), Zachary Shogren and his fiancé Jessica Roach (Houston, Texas), Theo Crassaerts (Ft. Collins, Colo.), and Sophia Crassaerts (Luxembourg), plus one great-granddaughter Taegan Shogren (Winfield). She is also survived by one brother- in-law Ray Dewell (Winfield), four sisters-in-law Jean Dewell (Winfield), Pat Fisher (Bucklin), Marce Hoffman (Oklahoma City, Okla.), and Vicky Dewell (Ponder, Texas), plus several nieces and nephews. She will be remembered by many wonderful friends in Eureka, Branson, and the Cumbernauld community in Winfield.
Graveside services will be Saturday, August 10, at the Bucklin Cemetery.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Joyce to Rivercross Hospice in Winfield, KS (via Shelley Family Funeral Home of Winfield) or the Hill Top House in Bucklin, KS (via Minnis Mortuary of Bucklin.)