Joyce Carol Freeman Buckelew passed away on March 13, 2023 in Springfield, MO from an assortment of ailments that many of us face after an incredibly adventurous life. One of the last things she texted her daughter was “life is weird” and weird it was. She was the first born child of William Byrd Freeman, the son of a Cherokee traveling missionary father, and Willa Kay Harvill, the first born daughter of tenant farmers. Joyce was born shortly after her father returned from WWII on April 29, 1944 in Paragould, Arkansas and became best friends with her sister Loyce Freeman Buckelew who was born a year later (yes, the two sisters married two brothers). Joyce was the first generation to leave the farm with her parents and chase the American Dream. Her family moved from Arkansas to Shreveport, Louisiana where she met Elvis at the Louisiana Hayride and became a lifelong fan. No moss grew under the Freeman family’s feet as they soon moved to Michigan to work in the booming auto industry and Joyce gave birth to a daughter, DeLena (David) Knoedl. Joyce next made Houston, Texas her home in the 1970s where she completed her family with a son, Curtis Williams, and a daughter, Willa Williams, before finally settling down in central Arkansas with the love of her life, Paul Buckelew, a Vietnam Veteran who proceeded her in death. Lasting memories of Joyce include her habit of saying “turbo!” every time she stepped on the gas in her convertible and her love of Korean soap operas. Her life was certainly filled with joy by her grandchildren, Alex (Angel) Knoedl, Paige Knoedl, and Quintin Vawters who encouraged her texting and watching Tik Tok videos on her phone. Life kept moving and Joyce moved with it until she couldn’t keep up anymore. Our mom, sister, and grandmother was tired and ready to go home after leaving all of us with memories that will keep us laughing and remarking that life has indeed been good and weird.