Joy Alaine Ellsworth

ELLSWORTH, Joy A. – Entered into rest on August 18, 2017 in Spokane. Born the third of four children on Sept 9, 1935, in Spokane to Paul and Hetty Flint, Joy grew up and attended schools here. She married young and with their four children, began a military family life traveling with assignments overseas. Joy returned to Spokane, allowing her children to finish their growing up years. She only left her beloved Spokane to take a work related promotion. She was employed by the WA State DSHS on the West Coast in Olympia and Tacoma areas. There she lived for many of her adult years. She enjoyed her career helping provide services to those populations in need. Following her retirement and in 2015, Joy happily moved back to Spokane becoming a neighbor to her oldest daughter and her husband, and nearer to two of her grandchildren and four of her great-grandchildren. She enjoyed poetry, oil painting, crafting, genealogy, gardening and reading. Joy belonged to the Red Hats, was a proud Girl Scout Leader, and cherished her membership in the Episcopal Church, both on the West Coast and most recently at St John’s Cathedral here in Spokane. She was a dutiful volunteer and servant until her cancer began to take its toll. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Rodney, Walter, and Jim Flint; also by her second husband, Charlie Ellsworth, who passed away in 2006. Joy is survived by her four children, Lietta Ruger, Sam Wagner, Julie French, Denitta Ortiz and by a step-daughter Kim Foster (all married with families); 13 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren. Joy will forever rest with her husband Charlie, in their niche, at Riverside Memorial Park Mausoleum.