Nancy Joyce Acton's Obituary
Nancy Joyce Acton
September 9, 1929 – August 2, 2015
Genuine, affectionate, hearty, earthy, simple, generous, pet-loving, pistol-packing – these are some of the words and terms that could describe Joyce Acton.
Joyce Acton was born to Ray and Hortense Acton in Winkelman, AZ at the home of George Acton and Bertha Tewksbury Acton, a midwife. She was the sixth child of the 13 born to her parents. Ten of the children lived to adulthood.
Ray and Hortense were offspring of Arizona pioneer ranchers. Hortense’s father, Frank Dailey, founded the C.O.D. ranch in Oracle around 1880 and Ray’s father, George, established the Acton Ranch along the San Pedro River near Mammoth in the early 1880’s.
As a child, Joyce lived on the Acton Ranch. Depression era circumstances caused the sale of the ranch around 1935, and the family entered a hand-to-mouth existence.
Moving to Oracle, the Acton family eked out a meager living. Ray worked at humble jobs. Les, Joyce’s oldest brother, wearing burlap bags over his shoes, shoveled snow to help provide income for the family.
At one point, the Acton family found itself living under a tree not far from today’s Oracle Inn. Years later Joyce, always with a sense of humor, would say “Yeah, but it was a nice tree!”
By 1941, Ray, Hortense, and their children were living in Tucson.
In Tucson Joyce attended Tucson High School, graduating in 1948, the same year in which she and her partner, Elizabeth Holbrook, won the girls’ tennis doubles state championship for the Badgers. Joyce loved tennis and was a lifelong follower of the sport.
Joyce spent four years in the Navy from 1951 – 1955, her Honorable Discharge reflecting a “rating at discharge” of DK3, or disbursing clerk, third class.
Joyce subsequently took up residence in the Los Angeles area. In 1960 she received an Associate of Arts Degree from Los Angeles City College. Joyce worked primarily as a civilian employee of the Navy during her years in Los Angeles while also serving in the Navy Reserve.
In Los Angeles Joyce was also able to spend time with her sister, Mary Schoop, and her family. Recently, at a Celebration of Life for Bess Wing, Joyce’s younger sister, Mary’s son Chris Schoop spoke movingly of the Acton sisters and of his fond memories of his Aunt Joyce.
In 1978 Joyce returned to Arizona, transferring her employment to the U.S. Customs operation in Nogales, occupying a position as Inspector. Joyce also served in the Navy Reserve while in Arizona. It was at this time that Joyce began carrying a pistol in her purse, a practice she continued until she died. She retired in 1990, having accumulated 30 years of government service.
In Arizona Joyce shared property near Tubac with her beloved sister Tommy. Many mornings found them walking the road in the neighborhood, where they conversed and simply enjoyed each other’s company. These walks with her sister were some of Joyce’s most cherished memories.
In Tubac Joyce was able to indulge her great love of animals. There her menagerie included two goats and multiple dogs. For Joyce, her pets were her children and she treated them so.
Family gatherings in Tucson often included Joyce. Her outsize personality made her adored by her many nieces and nephews and, later, her grandnieces and grandnephews. Joyce was simply someone who brought a happy air to a family occasion.
After Tommy’s death in 2005, Joyce resided in the Avra Valley west of Tucson, on property co-owned with her brother Ben. Here she cared happily for her own dogs and those she had inherited from Tommy.
When she was no longer able to live so remotely from Tucson, Joyce became a resident at The Villas at La Canada in the northwest foothills area of Tucson. Her companion there was Dotty, a rescue dog.
Particularly helpful to her in these later years were her brothers Les and Ben, her sister Bess, and Bess’s husband, Jim Wing.
This summer, as she approached the age of 86, Joyce’s many ailments and the sorrow of losing her brother Jim in March and her sister Bess in June overcame her. On Sunday night, August 2, she died quietly and unexpectedly. At her side, fittingly, was her last pet, her great friend, Dotty.
Joyce is survived by four brothers and a sister.
She is sorely missed by all her family.
Nancy Joyce Acton
Unconditionally loving to all her pets.
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