Joyce Day

Joyce was taken to Heaven after a very unexpected and quick battle with cancer. Joyce was born January 20, 1941 to Olive and Wesley Cullen. She graduated Dubuque Senior High with the class of 1959 and had the honor of never missing a day of school in four years; now how many of us can say that?

While in Dubuque, she met and married William Day of Clinton Iowa (her former husband). Together they had two children, Michael and Rachel.

After moving to Appleton, her and her children created a close relationship with the Mashburn family, Barb, Don and Donny, who were like a second family to them. She enjoyed many special times with them particularly the holiday seasons, southern home cooked meals, lively barbecues, and sightseeing as well as just watching her grandchildren play in their yard.

Joyce's grandchildren were her pride and joy. She loved playing board games and doing puzzles with them as well as watching cheesey sci fi movies. They loved staying overnight with grandma and kept her busy and entertained while she kept them fed with delicious homemade baked treats.

But she wasn't just Rachel and Michael's mother, she was “Mom” to many over the years including one special son James Jirikowic aka Jimmy who spent many holidays with Joyce and her family.

Joyce began her work career at the Adams Company in Dubuque Iowa but went on to have many other jobs in her life. You may have seen her smiling face Printron Engravers, Remax Realty or the Kimberly Shopko where she was always ready to listen and help. If you didn't' see her face then you may have heard her gentle voice in a call to your home saying “Hi, this Joyce from the Fox Valley Thrift Shoppe, our truck will be in your area do you have anything that you might like to donate?”

Joyce was frequently and pleasantly surprised to arrive home and see her brother Jerry, perched on her doorstep. Whether they just went out for a slice of pie or up to Door County for lingonberries, his arrival always brought a smile to her face.

Joyce loved to travel back to down to Dubuque to see her brothers Jerry and Chuck his wife Sandy and their families. She also loved seeing her cousin Tom Cullen and his wife Sandy.

But no trip would be complete without visiting Bee Beulow or as many in Dubuque have come to know her as the Leopard Lady.

Joyce will be lovingly missed by her children: Rachel Day and Michael Day; her grandchildren Alexander and Zacariah; brothers Chuck (Sandy) Cullen and Jerry Cullen; her cousin Tom (Sandy) Cullen and many more relatives and friends. She will join her parents; Wesley and Olive Cullen in Heaven, as well as Tonz, Armella and Robert Kupferschmidt, Kenny and Joyce Cullen, and David Cullen, George Day, Lenore Day, and Shirley Day.

A celebration of Joyce's life will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2015, at the WICHMANN FUNERAL HOME DOWNTOWN, 537 N Superior St. Appleton. Friends and relatives may greet the family from 5:00 p.m. until the time of service. Online condolences may be expressed at www.wichmannfargo.com.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful loving staff of Fremont Towers (St. Elizabeth Hospital) 3rd floor, as well as all the beautiful compassionate 'Angels” that work for Affinity Hospice. We thank them all for comforting and helping us and always treating our Mom with dignity, decorum and respect that she always lived her life displaying. Their kindness, compassion, love and hugs are all very much appreciated and they are truly special to us.