Joy W. Hammett

Joy Metcalf began her adventure in Augusta, Maine on August 31st, 1951. As a kid, she lived in many interesting places such as New York City, Friday Harbor, Washington, and many remote Alaskan towns, even living on 2 different boats in her life.  Joy graduated Juneau Douglas Highschool in 1970 despite having just lost her roommate & mother Ivie during her Senior year. She was strong beyond measure. Never a victim, always a survivor.  She met & married Gary Hammett on August 9th, 1971 in Juneau, Alaska & moved to eastern Oregon soon after. In 1973 she and her husband Gary welcomed their daughter Tammie into the world. In 1980 Joy & Tammie moved back to Alaska. Joy had a real heart for helping the hurting, lonely & forgotten. She was a tender soul & in many ways she was just too beautiful for the life she was handed. She didn't have time for people who weren't genuine and chose her friends carefully.  She worked at Suicide Prevention Center in Anchorage, Alaska in the 80's even though she struggled with depression & suicide most of her life. She was very open about her struggles and finally found help through medication in 2002. She was a very hard worker, working as a maid for many years & as an apartment manager in several Washington towns, but we know that how you pay the rent isn't what defines you. What defines you is what you love. Joy loved the outdoors & animals. She was a talented artist and spent hours in nature creating magical spaces. She loved reading, gardening, the ocean, sculpting, coloring, crocheting, sewing & smoking the sacred herb. She was never happier than when she was camping or cuddling her pets. Joy was a strong woman with so much love to give. She flew away from her daughter's Oregon home into the night to meet her beloved mother Ivie on July 17th, 2020. She was preceded in death by her mother Ivie Metcalf, her father Maynard Hopkins Metcalf Jr (Lucky) and her brother Frank Metcalf.  She leaves behind many people who love her including her stepmother Patricia Metcalf, sister Diana Medley, brother Brad Metcalf, daughter Tammie Hammett, grandson Hunter Kent, teddy bear Timmie, and her teacup poodle Bullet, who was her loyal companion, as well as many beloved friends. Joy felt very strongly about not being ashamed to seek mental health help, so if you struggle with depression or have thoughts of suicide please call 1-800-273-8255 or reach out to someone. You are not alone. You are loved. Don't give up.                                      Gone From My Sight I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.    Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."    Gone where?    Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.  Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.   And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone," there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"    And that is dying...   ~Henry Van Dyke~