Mrs. Joyce W. Way

Joyce W. Way, 69, Overland Park, KS, passed away December 10, 2011 at her home from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) under the care of her husband, Kansas City Hospice and CareStaf.

Joyce was born on May 15, 1942 in Aberdeen, SD to Frank and Reta Washnok of Verdon, South Dakota.

Joyce and Harold Way were married on December 27, 1963 in Conde, SD. They made their first home in Sioux Falls and for the past 47 years lived in Wessington Springs, Mitchell, Vermillion, all in South Dakota; Sioux City, Iowa; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Cortland, New York; and Overland Park, Kansas.

Joyce graduated from Groton (SD) high school in 1960 and Northern State Teachers College in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education. She taught in the Sioux Falls school system. When they moved to Mitchell she taught history and remedial reading at Dakota Wesleyan University. She entered the master's program at the University of South Dakota and received her MA in educational psychology in 1968. Following her master's degree she became a guidance counselor in the Sioux City (IA) Public School System. Following her husband to Kalamazoo, MI she became the coordinator of educational programs for a sheltered workshop program called Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU). While at YOU she entered the doctoral program at Western Michigan University and received her doctorate in Educational Leadership in 1976. Following her doctorate she became the Coordinator of Educational Research at the State University of New York, College at Cortland. In 1976 she became the Director of Program Evaluation in the Kansas City (MO) School District. In 1991, having decided to take on a less demanding role, she became an adjunct professor at Johnson County Community College in the Mathematics Department. She held this position for 17 years until the afflictions of ALS forced her retirement in 2009.

Joyce's friends from the breast cancer survivors exercise group (Pink T's) were exceptionally special to her, helping her maintain a decent quality of life right up to the time of her death.

Joyce had four main passions in her life. They were teaching, her rose garden, cats and her husband. She is survived by her husband Harold; mother Reta Washnok (Aberdeen, SD); sister Lois (Gayle) Degler (Chanhassen, MN); brother Dale (Margie) Washnok (Aberdeen, SD); sister-in-law Marvel Washnok (Wellington, CO); and sister-in-law Melinda (Terry) Johnson (St. Anthony, MN). Joyce was preceded in death by her father, infant brother Kent and brother Richard (Dick). Always important to Joyce were her cats, including her Burmese pals Heidi and Nicholas. The best cat in her life was Jennifer, the one that all others were measured against but never quite met that standard.

The placement of Joyce's cremains and a celebration of her life will be arranged by the immediate family sometime after the first of the year.

Memorial contributions in Joyce's name may be made to: Cornell Feline Research Center, c/o Linda Kabelac, Cornell University, 130 E. Seneca St., Suite 400, Ithaca, NY 14850; Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care, 10100 W. 87th St., Suite 100, Overland Park, KS 66212; or The MDA/ALS Association, 3 Corporate Woods, 8700 Indian Creek Pkwy #340, Overland Park, KS 66210.