Joyce Jessie Clark

Joyce Jessie Clark

January 24, 1938 – June 7, 2026

Joyce was born January 24th 1938. She arrived in a little house that once stood near where Pancake Mill now does business on 101, in North Bend. Her parents were Jesse and Wreith Vandervort.

Joyce graduated in 1956 from Marshfield with the greatest group of classmates. She felt she grew up in the best of times. The Medical field was not so advanced yet, but people were more innocent, and greed was not so rampant.

She married Jack Clark from Birmingham, Alabama, in 1957. Sadly he was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver in March 1967.

Jack and Joyce were parents of Kendall Jean and Dennis Patrick.

Joyce’s first job was with the North Bend district, cooking in the kitchens. She went from Hillcrest to Roosevelt, then to Jr. High as the head cook. She loved cooking for ‘her’ kids, but could not have done it without her crew. The kitchen’s pizza, peanut butter squares, and hamburgers were legendary. While at the schools, she worked as a bundle dropper for the world. Filling racks and carrier bundles, from Coos Bay to Brookings. On weekends she worked at the Egyptian theater, for about ten years, and then moved over to the Pony Four. And she worked there for another 8 to 10 years. She got enjoyment out of helping people decide which movie they wanted to watch. When they came out, and told her they really enjoyed the movie, she was so pleased.

After working for the school district for 15 years, she moved to the North Bend Post Office. And she worked there for 22 years. Joyce made fun work out of whatever she did, so she never ‘worked’.  She loved to carry wrapped candy for the kids, and dog biscuits for the dogs. She just knew the dogs were talking to each other, because every once in a while there would be a stray dog sitting by the mail box patiently waiting for a treat, wagging their tail. Joyce used to joke that if she had all the money she spent on dog biscuits and candy for the kids she would have retired earlier than when she did in July of 2000.

Joyce was also an offering counter, with Bev Cameron, for her church until COVID hit. That was a job she held for over 40 years.

In 2012 she started volunteering at S/Nipped, low cost spay and neuter for cats and dogs. A job she enjoyed very much. But she could not continue due to her allergies, though she continued to help them by donating and purchasing laundry soap. Joyce also purchased dry dog food and cat food to put in sandwich bags, and took it to the food cupboard.

In July of 2012 she started volunteering to do medical transport. That was a job that she thoroughly enjoyed. She met very nice people. Plus she also saw parts of the country side she never knew existed. The job lasted until 2020. After the COVID restrictions were lifted she began driving for South Coast Business Assoc. Driving people to their appointments. She also worked for meals on wheels delivering meals to those in need. Both of those jobs she thoroughly enjoyed. She drove from July 2012 to May of 2026.

Joyce’s hobbies were reading two daily newspapers, any magazine she could get her hands on, working crossword puzzles and playing solitaire with her great grandkids when they were little. She preferred older country music. Her favorite band was ‘Highway 101’ with Paulette Carlson. She enjoyed reading true crime, especially her favorite author Ann Rule.

When Joyce found a cute cartoon that reminded her of someone she would make a refrigerator magnet and send it to them. She was also a card sender; birthday, sympathy, thank you, get well, thinking of you, and sometimes she would send cards to someone she didn’t even know.

Joyce passed away on June 7th 2026 in her home peacefully, surrounded by family and love. Her services will be Sunday July 12th 2026, 1:00 pm at Faith Lutheran Church in North Bend Oregon.

Joyce is survived by her daughter, Kendall and Scott Doden of Arkansas; her two granddaughters, E’Jonna Holden and Charlie Gerard of Idaho; her great grandchildren, Sophia, Katarina, Asher, Caris, Evy, Cassie, and Tiffany; granddaughter, Stephanie and Rob Wilson of Grants Pass; great-grandchildren, Hannah, Hailey, Daniel, Justin and Rainie; “son”, Mike and Daniela Kellum of Coos Bay; “son”, Tim and Anna Erickson of California; “ grandson”, Cazz and Kat Kellum of Salem, “granddaughter”, Chelsi Johnson and children of Roseburg.

She is also survived by her nephews, Bob Jungbluth of Coos Bay and Jess Jungbluth of Medford; nieces, Wendy Lewis Coos Bay, and Kathy Rimmer Arizona. They called her “Aj” because they had outgrown the “Auntie” stuff. Her friends and family of Faith Lutheran Church of North Bend, and dear friends, Linda Ruiz, Gloria Garret, Suzanne and Bob Adams, Cherie and Dave barns, Ann Tobiska, Tom and Dee Jackson, Colleen Wylie, Liz Stephens, Bingo and Ginger Sawyer, Gail Wahl, Mary Ann Hanlon, and Marka Turner for helping her keep her head on straight over the years, among others.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; son, Dennis; father and stepmother, Jesse and Arlene Vandervort; mother, Wreith Renfrow and sister, Donna Vandervort.  Her favorite cousins, Linda Levick, Betty Mobley, and Cindy Johnson. She was also preceded by dear friends, Sally and Judy Reichert, Martha Bauriedel, Edie and Tom Decoster, Diane Wylie, Joe Tobaska, Paula Langendorfer, Sonja and Richard Nute, and Lisa Pageler.

In lieu of flowers, Joyce’s last wishes were to send donations to Faith Lutheran Church for the food cupboard, S/Nipped, 290 N Central Blvd, Coquille, OR 97423 or to Kohl’s Cat House, 1431 Southwest Blvd, Coos Bay, OR 97420.

Cremation rites have been held at Ocean View Memory Gardens Crematory with inurnment at Sunset Memorial Park, Coos Bay under the direction of Coos Bay Chapel 685 Anderson Ave. 541-267-3131. www.coosbayareafunerals.com 

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