ELSIE GERTRUDE ‘Trudy’ JOINER bowed out of life on August 20, 2002 stating quite solidly that she was ready to ride in Heaven with her husband Loyd who "has the horses saddled".
She was born in Sedro-Woolley, Washington in 1927. Her father Jess James Little came from Oklahoma to the Skagit Valley in 1910 and worked in the logging industry as a rigger. Her mother Elsie Josephine Hanson came from Minnesota in 1920 to teach school at Marblemount. She met Jess at a dance and they were married in 1922. On her father’s side Trudy had 6 aunts: Gertrude Crissmon, Della Jones and Mertie Rohmiller of OK, Fannie Jones of CA, Myrtle Clark of NV and Ollie Dempsey of Sedro-Woolley. On her mother’s side she had 1 uncle, Carl Martinson of Saskatchewan, and l aunt, Myrtle B1anton Christofferson of Skagit Valley. Elsie graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School in 1945 and went to work at NAS Whidbey during WWII where she fell in love with and married sailor Greekly Loyd Joiner from MS. They settled in Sedro-Woolley and then east of town where they raised a family. Somehow, during these busy years, she graduated from Western Washington College and taught Eighth Grade at Cascade Junior High School. She retired early to travel with her husband until they settled on Bow Hill where they raised quarter-horses and gardens. She enjoyed such things as politics, philosophy, history and her husband’s humor.
Since 1997 Elsie had struggled against Wegeners Disease auto-immune.
She is survived by a son Robert Joiner and his wife Sandy of Palmdale, CA, a son Ron Joiner and his wife Linda of Mount Vernon, WA and a daughter Marie Stein and her husband Dan of Hudson, NY. 5 granddaughters: Angela Adams and her husband Brian of Mount Vernon, WA; Marina Ball and her husband Jarrod of Twin Falls, ID; Ronnie Joiner of Boise, ID; Kerry Thomson of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; and Kate Stein of Syracuse, NY. 4 grandsons: Kevin Breniman and his wife Jill of Bristol, TN; Robert Joiner of Las Vegas, NV; Sean Pollard of Palmdale, CA; and Ben Stein of Albany, NY. 7 great-grandchildren: Lauren Adams, Kelson Ball, Katherine Ball, Alexandra Breniman, Emily Breniman, Kyle Pollard and Gage Thomson. 1 devoted sister Jean Little Barnhart and her husband Roger of Cashmere, WA and their sons Phil of Portland, OR; Mike of Wenatchee, WA and Chris of Dallas, TX. 4 sisters-in-law: Marie Mehan of Pope, MS; Katie Woolfork of Senatobia, MS; Ruby Beardmore Sardis, MS; Shirley Alexander of Foley, AL; 2 brothers-in-1aw: James Earl Joiner of Bossier City, LA; and Bill Joiner of Batesville, MS. Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins through out the United States. She was blessed to have Trina Shephard of Bow, WA as her caregiver. Carol, Barb, Iola, Naomi and June were special friends these past several years.
Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, her loved husband Greekly Loyd Joiner in 1992, her precious grandson Eric Joiner, a brother-in-law Ernest Joiner, father-in-law Loyd Joiner, and mother-in-law Evelyn Joiner Patrick.
A special thanks to Dr. Larry Moss and his staff at the Kidney Dialysis Center in Mount Vernon and her friends at The Bridge in Mount Vernon where she lived. The family suggests memorials be made to the Kidney Dialysis Center in Mount Vernon. At her request there will be no services at this time, but the family intends a celebration of her life and her husband’s life at a later date to be announced. Cremation and arrangements have been under the care of Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley.
You may share your thoughts and memories of Trudy by signing the on-line guestbook at www.lemleychapel.com