Joyce Ann Friedrich Meyer

Joyce Ann Friedrich Meyer, age 80, of Austin, peacefully passed away at her residence on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Born on August 31, 1940, in Fredericksburg, Texas, she was the second of four children to Gus and Ruby Friedrich. Joyce learned how to beat the odds as a child by surviving rheumatic fever. In childhood, she loved to ride her bike, hang out on Sunday afternoons with her cousins, play with her best friend, Ginger, and watch movies at the Palace Theatre. Her favorite part about the theater wasn’t the movie, it was the news by Edward R. Murrow, who showed her there was more to life than a small, German town. Joyce graduated with honors from Fredericksburg High School in 1958. She married Fred Meyer that same year and they moved to Austin. She worked at Texas DPS as a secretary and then as a legal secretary typing 140 words per minute on carbon copies. Eventually, they had two daughters, Kim and Kristi, and lived most of their life together in Plano, Texas. In 1975, Joyce finished her college degree to become an art teacher at North Texas State University. She later earned a Master of Fine Arts at SMU. She taught art at McKinney High School, Wilson Middle School, and Haggard Middle School. In 1995 and following her divorce, Joyce moved to Austin, ready for new adventures as well as teaching art at Forest Trail Elementary in Eanes ISD. In 1998, Joyce retired after 30 years of education service. Joyce talked about her students until her last few days on earth. They were so important to her. Not only did being an art teacher mean the world to Joyce, but so did her family and friends. She loved her siblings Elmer, Dennis, and Lynette. Over the last year, her highlights of the day were their phone calls. Joyce was also proud to be “Onn” to her grandchildren Jared, Jamie, and Jason. Their relationships brought so much joy and adventure to each other’s lives. “Aunt Joyce / Red Aunt” enjoyed entertaining many nieces and nephews over the summers forming strong bonds, especially with the red heads, that couldn’t be broken. Joyce Ann had a niece named after her: Amy Joanne; as well as Daniel’s daughter and her grandniece, Carolyn Joyce Harper. She was so proud to have both girls have her name! Also, all those who affectionately called her “Llama,” a nickname that Kim created, brought so much joy to her as well. Thanks to Edward R. Murrow’s encouragement, Joyce traveled to all 50 states and some of them more than once. Many miles were traveled with her friend Sharon. She helped chaperone school trips to Europe with Sharon and another treasured friend, Andrea; took her parents to Germany; explored the Cayman Islands and Mexico on family vacations before they became destination spots; and ventured to Australia, with Kim, as well as Alaska and Hawaii—just to name a few of the places they journeyed together. Joyce also managed to travel with her grandchildren to Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone, and Utah’s National Parks. During retirement, Joyce loved to take photographs of these places she ventured to, paint beautiful landscapes of them, and create amazing pen and ink drawings as well. Line was her favorite element to work with and it showed in her work. One of her favorite adventures was working a few summers in Yellowstone National Park. Joyce also created rubber stamps of Texas images, mainly flowers, that led her to traveling the state, offering stamping and cardmaking classes, but more importantly spreading joy while making new friends. She treasured those years working with Texana Design Artists and traveling with such talented friends who allowed her to be the “naginator.” Joyce also enjoyed sharing her art by sending homemade cards to family and friends she loved. A friend recently said, “She never really retired from making art. She would have continued forever if her body and mind would have allowed.” Unfortunately, in 2015, Joyce was diagnosed with amyloidosis brought on by multiple myeloma which then affected the heart. The odds of getting amyloidosis is one-in-a-million. She thought it was fitting that the disease was as unique as her. Sadly, the chemo took a toll on her body, but thankfully, she was a strong-willed redhead and was determined to get better. And she did just that! Joyce stopped getting chemo and traveled some more. In 2018, her health started to decline again. Chemo didn’t work so she opted to just live life to its fullest. Joyce moved into Clairmont Independent Living in the fall of 2019. She was happy to be around such loving and caring people, especially her sister of the heart, Maurine. Special thanks to doctors Mary Beth Cishek, M.D. and Jeff Yorio, M.D. for helping to manage the amyloidosis and congestive heart failure. During the onset of COVID, Kristi moved Joyce into her home. Together they played games, made art and watched many Netflix series. It was during this time that Kristi was able to create a system to enable Joyce to continue living independently. Joyce was so grateful for the caregivers who helped her out in the final years. She was so happy and felt safe with Nancy, Pam, Kelly, Jenny, Kathleen, Hannah, Karen and Jack’s help. Her family is grateful for their love and friendships. An additional thanks to her volunteer game players, the Blounts, who soon became her second set of grand kids to play games with on the weekends for over 5 years! Preceded in death by her parents, Joyce is survived by her siblings Elmer Friedrich and wife Neva of Georgetown, Dennis and Glenna Friedrich of San Angelo, and Lynette Cornehl and husband Steven of Fredericksburg; daughters, Kim Meyer of Austin and Kristi Janczak of Belton; grandchildren, Jared Janczak and wife Sydney of Fort Worth, Jamie Janczak of College Station, and Jason Janczak of Belton; “Collected Daughters” Cathy Meads, Connie Sanders, and Alison Chang; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Joyce’s requests for funeral plans are typical of her. There will be a private family and close friends viewing on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Please reach out to her daughters for more information. Joyce also requests a cremation and wants her ashes spread at a favorite painting place of hers. Most importantly, Joyce wants her memorial service to be a huge celebration for everybody to attend. She told us, “I had a full life and that’s what I want celebrated.” More details on this celebration set for Nov. 21, 2021, are available via email. Contact Kim, Kristi or use Joyce's email. In lieu of flowers, please drive through a carwash noticing the beautiful colors and patterns the soap makes on the windshield, spread joy by being nice to others, think of her when you see an orange sunset, or consider a donation to either The National Parks Foundation, The Amyloidosis Foundation or The Texas Art Education Memorial Scholarship Fund… any of these would honor Joyce well.

Joyce Ann Friedrich Meyer

August 31, 1940 - May 15, 2021