Joyce Ellen (Riley) Poole, age 74, passed away Sunday, June 11, 2023. She was born January 11, 1949, in Deventer, Missouri to Clifton and Earlene Riley. She was the 10th of 13 children and the foundational years of life on their farm stayed with her throughout life. In 1966 she married Ronald Poole, with whom she built and shared a wonderful life until his death in 2005.
Her 74 years of life here were marked by generosity and service. She loved creating welcoming spaces- from her home when Ron would call her and say, “can I bring 4 people home for dinner”, an hour before dinner, to more recently VBS decorations that were amazing. When you entered a space she had made, you felt warmth and love. She didn’t miss a detail and had the ability to think ahead of what people would need before they knew they needed it. Her gentle and caring soul, her acts of service and her hard work will be missed by her family and her church.
She was born on a farm in Missouri, married her high school sweetheart, moved to Massachusetts and raised her daughter, moved to Minnesota and settled into the phase of life of giving back, and then most recently moved to Pennsylvania to be close to kids and grandkids. Throughout those moves there has been a thread of grace and beauty. In different settings and different seasons, a giving of self, a humility, that stayed constant. She will be missed. Beyond measure. We hold on to the hope that she is with Jesus and she is full of joy. She is seeing her husband and all those that went before her. These are not mere words or pie-in-the-sky hope, it is our reality and we hold fast to it until the day we will see her again.
Joyce is survived by her daughter Melanie and son in law Rob Gillgrist; and treasured grandchildren Samuel and Isabella Gillgrist. She is also survived by sisters Alice Thurstin, Mary Faye (Harry) Gosche , Sue Chatman and Jeanette Adkisson; brothers James (Pauline) Riley, and Dennis (Mary Lee) Riley; sisters in law Peggy Riley, Phyllis (Dennis) Helton, Linda (Bill) Dennis, Janice (John) Curd and Teresa (Gary) Hancock; brother in law Steve Baron. And so so many loved cousins and nieces and nephews!
In addition to her husband Ron, Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Clifton and Earlene Riley; sisters Doris Smith and Sally Baron; brothers Ray Riley, Ronnie (LaRue) Riley, Russell (Connie) Riley and Melvin Riley; brothers in law Al Thurstin and Claude Chatman. She is also now reunited with several grandchildren that she had not yet met.
Family and friends will be received from 4-6 PM on Friday, June 16, 2023, at Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 E. North St., Butler, PA 16001.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Oak Hills Christian Church, 100 Township Line Road, Butler, PA 16002 with Pastor Rob Gillgrist officiating.
Please add to Joyce’s unique Remember Page by visiting www.thompson-miller.com.