Joy Ardith (Blaker) Stoneburner, 88, affectionately referred tp as "Gramma Joy" by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends passed away surrounded by family at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo Mi, Sunday December 1st following an unexpected sudden illness on what would have been her and her husbands 68th wedding anniversary. Joy was born March 12, 1931 in Flossmoor, Il, the only child of Pearl and Raymond Blaker. Joy was an intelligent, articulate woman who enjoyed being surrounded by her family, sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting ceramics, reading murder mysteries, television murder mysteries, especially Angela Lansbury, and anything with Mark Harmon in it. Joy loved walking and traveling especially to Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island, and the Upper Peninsula, camping with her children when they were teenagers, enjoying the outdoors, nature and flowers. REading was one of her favorite pastimes, and she always loved a good book to read while she drank her hot tea or coffee, any kind of chocolate, and her favorite-Pecan pie. Joy used to watch the toddlers and babies at Otsego Baptist Church where she went for many years while their Mothers were in Bible Study. Joy had many funny stories of the things little one's said when she was listening to their conversations. Joy attended schools in Illinois as her parents periodically moved from time to time and finally moving to Pine Lake, MI as a teenagers is where Joy started babysitting for the neighbors occasionally. That is when a chance encounter turned out to be one of the greatest gifts of her life; while walking across her yard a young man, who was helping his sister pick up sticks in her yard, caught a glimpse of her and 'dropped all of his sticks'. The two were quickly smitten and after a courting for a period of time, Kenny and Joy were united in marriage on December 1st, 1951. Together they had five children and built a life of happiness and love. Tragically, in 1978, Kenny passed away. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Joy found the strength to begin attending Otsego Public Schools at the age of 46 to finish her high school education graduating the same year as valedictorian. She then went on to work as a nursing student at KVCC while she was employed at Metron Nursing Home in Allegan as a CNA for many years. Joy loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren dearly and their happiness was her own joy. She was proud of them all. Ken and Dave's service in the military was a source of special pride. Joy was preceded in death by the love of her life, her husband, Kenneth Stoneburner, her brothers in law: Clinton (Francis) Stoneburner, Jr., John (Margaret) Stoneburner, James (Shirley) Stoneburner Sr., and Jack (Mary Ellen) Stoneburner, Gerald Barber, John Knowlton, and John Jaeger, Sisters-in-law Norma (Harry) Stoneburner, Lucile (Gerald) Barber , Mary (John) Knowlton, Francis (Clinton Jr.) Stoneburner and Ruth (Kenneth) Graham, Joy is survived by her children; Diane (Lee) Boysen of Allegan, Joanne (Mike) Krcatovich of Allegan, Steven (Bonnie) Stoneburner of Plainwell, Daniel Sr. (Debra) Stoneburner of New Port Richie Fl, and Debra (Ron) Beattie of Otsego, Grandchildren; Scott (Nancy) Boysen of Allegan, Amy Boysen (Rich Paff) of Douglas, Carrie (Ken) Lenhart of Datzell, Il, Kimberly Babbitt of Plainwell, Kristen (Zach) Williams of Allegan, Alison Bailey Stoneburner of Kalamazoo, Danny (Kristina) Stoneburner Jr., of Palm Harbor Fl, Alicia (Steven) Peters of White House TN, Kenneth Beattie of Otsego, JEssica (Josh) Cook, David (Shelby) Beattie. Great Grandchildren Eric Boysen of Kalamazoo, Brandon Boysen (Anna McManus) of Allegan, Sierra (Ryan) Cooper of Grand Rapids, Anthony Boylan of Fennville, Cody and Katee Smothers, Emily DeGlopper and Presleigh Clawson, Chelsey (Scott) Heyers of IL, 'Vito' Lenhart of Il, and Samantha Lenhart of Il, Jonathan Hastings III of Plainwell. Conner, Chalise, and Kylei Ritz all of Allegan, Hanna and Nolan Clancy of Kalamazoo, Lilliana Bailey of Kalamazoo, Lilly and Abby Stoneburner of FL, Jack and Owen Peters of White House, TN., Olivia Cook of Otsego. Great Great Grandchildren; Alijah, KEnny and Payton Cooper, Elyse Schipper, Dade Heyers, Bentley and Baylee Smothers. Brothers in law' Frank (Judy) Stoneburner, Hugh Stoneburner, Harry (Norma) Stoneburner, Sisters in law; Arline (Elmo) Wallace Mary Ellen (Jack) Stoneburner, Shirley (Jim) Stoneburner, Judy (Frank) Stoneburner, Judy (John) Jaeger. And MANY, MANY nieces and nephews. Joy will be remembered for the love she gave everyone, her outstanding cooking and baking skills, gifting knitted or crocheted afghans, hats and scarves to friends and family, her "teenage appetite" for chips, candy, cookies, chocolate, crackers, and any other junk food out there, her love of dogs and her wry sense of humpr. A graveside memorial service will be held Friday December 13 at 1:00 pm at the Alamo Cemetery with a luncheon to follow at the Alamo Township Hall, 7901 N 6th Street, Alamo, Mi 49009.