In loving memory of Joyce Ann (Hashman) Wenger

Joyce Ann Wenger

May 22, 1946 – October 3, 2024

Lived 78 years

Mound View · Mount Vernon, OHIO

"Grief and love are conjoined, you don't get one without the other. All I can do is love her, and love the world, emulate her by living with daring and spirit and joy." — Jandy Nelson, "The Sky Is Everywhere"

Life story

Joyce was born in 1946, in Mount Vernon, Ohio to the late Arthur and Evelyn Hashman. She was also preceded in death by her two brothers, James and Larry Hashman.

She loved Christmas. She was Christmas spirit to me. Her decorating was impeccable and magical. I’ll never forget the sense of awe and wonder I felt watching her make everything come alive as a child. Jesus is the reason for the season but I can’t help think that Heaven is going to get even more beautiful this season. She loved butterflies. We went to a butterfly conservatory once and we walked in and they were swirling all around her, she was amazed. She loved hummingbirds and loved watching them eat from the feeders she set up around her flowers on the farm. October 3rd, her death date, is National Butterfly 🦋 and Hummingbird Day.

She graduated from Danville High School, class of 1964. Her beautiful handwriting was legendary. Oh how I’ll miss that handwriting. As my son likes to remind me when we find all of her wonderful notes, we didn’t inherit that gift!

She married my father, Andrew John Wenger, who is buried to her left, on October 8th 1972. Though the union didn’t last they briefly reconciled and remained friends until his death in 2005. Mom was unintentionally buried here on October 8th on what would have been their 52nd wedding anniversary. Dad died 10/30 and mom 10/03, 19 years apart.

I was born in 1980, their only child. To say I was lucky, is an understatement. I miss them terribly.

My dad did not but mom got to see the birth of her grandson Aiden in 2009. She had incredible instincts and showed up to the hospital 5 minutes before he was born (I didn’t even know). She got to spend a lot of time with him the first 10 years of his life. She enjoyed babysitting him while I went to work and I’m sure he was the love of her life! My son and I feel incredibly blessed for the time we had and all she did for us.

She loved shopping for school clothes for her grandson and she last drove clothes to our house for him at the end of August 2024. Unbeknownst to us all, she had stage 4 cancer at the time, and would pass away just a little over a month later.

"There are grandmothers out there who would move heaven and earth for their grandchildren."

- Janice Elliott-Howard

She got very weak at the end but she had indomitable will. The strongest person I have ever known.

She was my mother and my best friend for 44 years and 7 months. I’ll severely miss her until the day I’m put to rest here next to them but I know she’ll be waiting on me with dad by her side. They both showed up for my high school graduation in 1998 SO early that they were yelled at and asked to leave and come back later. 😁

Time goes by so quick and it’s the small moments that end up being the biggest. Call your mom, tell her you love her, if you can. God bless.

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

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