February 23, 1914 - November 13, 2011
Joyce Louise Wise Senechal Obituary
Joyce Louise Wise Senechal, age 97, died at Valley Hospital, Spokane Valley, WA, on November 13, 2011. She was born February 23, 1914 in Spokane, WA, to Edwin and Lydia Wise.
Joyce was raised in Ione, Washington, where her parents homesteaded and she and her sister rode horseback to and from school. In 1931, she graduated as valedictorian, moved to Spokane, and attended Kinman Business College where she earned her credentials as a full charge bookkeeper. In 1937 she moved with her parents to Winlock, WA, and worked for the Washington Cooperative Egg and Poultry Association. In 1938, she was selected as the 2nd Egg Day Queen for the Egg Day Celebration. In June 2011, she returned to Winlock to participate in the 75th celebration of Egg Day and was honored by the Egg Day committee.
Joyce returned to Spokane in 1945 to work at the Cooperative Office there. In 1947, she married Rodney Senechal. Their work took them all over the United States, from Alaska to South Carolina, but they settled in the Spokane Valley in 1954 to be near to Joyce?s family. She worked for Washington Brick and Lime for a time and in 1960 she began working for National Furniture Stores. She stayed with them until her retirement in 1979 and continued to work part time for them until 1990 handling month-end and year-end bookkeeping.
Upon Rodney?s retirement in 1985, they traveled with the National Camping Travelers, a Masonic camping club. They also traveled to England to visit Joyce?s relatives, to Expo 86 in Vancouver, Canada, California to visit Rodney?s family, and a family reunion in Minnesota.
After her retirement, Joyce became an active member in a number of Masonic groups including White Shrine, Amaranth, Daughters of the Nile, and the Order of Eastern Star where she served as Worthy Matron, Treasurer, and Chaplain. She also served as Secretary for the Valley Calling Committee, Daughters of the Nile. Joyce was a member of the Spokane Falls Chapter of the American Business Women?s Association and served as president in 1976-1977. She attended Millwood Presbyterian Church for many years and became a member in 1995. When Rodney died in 1998, Joyce lived on in her home for a few years and worked at Valley Hospital as a volunteer until June 2011. Her grandson, Chris, lived with her while he attended EWU. In 2006 she moved to Broadway Court Estates. She traveled to Alaska many times to visit her daughter, Jeannine, where she enjoyed whale watching, fresh caught halibut, scenic vistas, riding a riverboat, panning for gold, and dog sledding.
Joyce loved playing Scrabble, reading, crocheting, bowling, huckleberry picking, going to the casino, and traveling. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, especially her grandson, Chris, and her great-grand daughter, Kirby. She met and held her great-grandson, Cooper, just a few days before her final illness.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her sister, Gladys Adkins. She is survived by her daughter, Jeannine, of Spokane, her daughter and son-in-law, Mae and Ray Greenwood, grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Chris and Jenny Greenwood, two great-grandchildren, Kirby and Cooper Greenwood, all of Spokane Valley, her sister and brother-in-law, Bea and John Shore of Oak Harbor, WA, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins in the US and in England. A funeral service will be held Saturday, November 19, at 10:00 AM at Millwood Community Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Rd, with a reception to follow. To honor Joyce, please wear purple ? it was her favorite color! In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a donation to the Spokane Shriner's Hospital for Children, or Millwood Community Presbyterian Church.