On 4th September a dozen members of the club were invited to join with family and friends to celebrate Joyce’s life. The service was held at Randalls Park Crematorium on a damp and drizzly day, so typical of many roll-up days. Between 2 hymns and the Lord’s prayer the celebrant delivered a clear and comprehensive summary of Joyce’s life.
It became clear that Joyce had three major loves: her grand-children, horses and croquet. This eulogy was followed by a poem read by Sydney, one of her granddaughters. Following the service a reception was held at The Rubbing House on Epsom Downs. Discussion with the family revealed that Joyce’s love of croquet actually started at a very early age, in the family garden at Croydon. It is reputed that either Joyce or her sister could crawl through the hoops bent wide by a cousin to make them easier!
Roll-up sessions were always enlivened by Joyce’s presence. She will be much missed. However her name will not be forgotten; her sons are generously arranging a donation of mallets old and new, one of which will be known as “The Hampton Hammer”.