Joy McDonald Obituary

Joy A. McDonald left this Earth Wednesday, March 30, 2022, to join her Lord and heavenly family. She died at home surrounded by loved ones. Joy was born June 4th, 1937, in Port Gamble, Washington, and grew up in Oregon.
Joy's family headed north to Anchorage where she graduated high school in 1955. After working through the summer at the Libby's fish cannery in Kenai, she moved to Fairbanks to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she made life-long friends and learned to downhill ski and skydive. She had the time of her life! In 1957 she took a break from her education to marry her college sweetheart, Curtis McDonald.
The family moved a trailer to their homestead in the Goldstream Valley. They had two small children at the time, and without running water or electricity, life was a challenge. Joy had to put food in the refrigerator so it wouldn't freeze. The temperature exceeded 65 below zero that year. Eventually, they moved to a home in Scenic Heights, and Joy and Curt added three more children to their family.
Joy had many jobs and in-home businesses to help support her family, and Curtis was frequently on the road driving trucks and hauling freight. In 1974, Joy started J.A.M. Enterprises, a pilot car business with her best friend Judy A. Martsolf, and it was wildly successful. J.A.M. piloted over-sized construction loads state-wide from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez until 1977. Joy worked as a warehouseman in Prudhoe Bay and loved the independence and hard work. Joy and Judy remained close and did everything together for years, including playing hockey, bowling, darts, traveling and their AAA softball team that went to nationals.
Joy loved to volunteer. She was a tireless advocate for hockey in Fairbanks. Joy helped found and organize the Fairbanks Women's Hockey Association in 1977 along with a handful of other dedicated hockey enthusiasts. She supported youth hockey, sponsoring teams and warming many little feet. She served on the board of directors of the Fairbanks Gold Kings Hockey Club for many years and developed a number of cherished friendships. Joy was inducted into the Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005, the first woman to receive this honor. She instilled the joy of hockey in her family and most of them played. Joy played until she was 68 years old when a mid-ice injury ended her career. Her other volunteer work included: Fairbanks Community Food Bank, Parks and Recreation Board, Senior Games, Arctic Winter Games, and wherever her children volunteered as well.
After the Valdez Oil Spill, she spent the summer working on a ship as a cook and distributed food to people during the clean-up. Joy went back to school to finish her degree in counseling, with a minor in psychology, graduating in 1995 at the age of 58. She was chosen to carry the Olympic torch in Juneau for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She loved to travel extensively, especially anywhere she could enjoy the sun on her face. Mexico was one of her favorite places. Her final trip was in January of this year to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with 13 members of her family. She also loved holidays, especially Christmas. She was a great cook and could make a wonderful meal out of an empty fridge. She loved gardening, music and singing. She also enjoyed fishing and camping in Kenai with family.
Joy kept her finger on the pulse of her family. She took every occasion to attend their sports games, dance recitals, school performances and church events. She never missed an opportunity to tell people what a great family she had and how she always wanted five kids. Her family felt loved, valued and were endlessly encouraged by her loyal support.
Joy had such a giving heart and was always ready to help others in need. She took in kids who needed a home and took many late-night calls from people who needed to talk. Joy had a gift of looking deeper than the surface, choosing instead to see peoples' intrinsic value, treating them like family. She was a member of Bethel Church, loved God and found great comfort in Him and her church family. Joy leaves a huge hole in the hearts of those who knew and loved her. She will be remembered for her kindness, love of people and her willing ear. She was a mother to many.
Joy is survived by children, daughter Debbie (David) Kissinger and their children Vanessa and Ree (Monica) Kissinger; daughter Kristen (James) Lyle and their children Alexis Garner, Jayme Lyle and Maxie Lyle; daughter Sherina (Keith) Anderson and their children Jenya (Ross) Towler and Drew Anderson; son Curtis (C.J.) McDonald Jr., and their children Ian McDonald and Cavan McDonald; and daughter Jennifer Manns and her children Dustin (Candice) Manns, Jordan Manns and Dakota Manns; grandchildren Tucker Lappi and Ashleigh Allen; three children adopted in love, David, Diane and Mark Slusher; as well as 14 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.
A memorial service will be held at 6?p.m. Friday, April 22, at Bethel Church, 1310 Farmers Loop Road. A celebration of life is being planned for June 4 with time and location to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fairbanks Women's Hockey Association, mailed to 160 Old Steese Highway, Fairbanks, AK 99701.