Ernestine Joyce "Joy" Roehr

Ernestine Joyce (Joy) Roehr lived a beautiful, dignified life. A sensitive and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to many, biological and adopted, she leaves a lasting impact on all who knew her.

To know Joy was to love her. She was lost too soon on April 7, 2022, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Summing up such a wonderful person in words is an impossible task. Nonetheless. Joy was born on July 22, 1944, in Hallock, Minnesota, to Ernest and Joyce Johnson, before the family moved west to Oregon in 1956.

The eldest daughter of six siblings, Orson, Edi, Sam, Jim and Kathi, Joy assumed a protective role following the untimely death of her father when she was only 18. This unimaginable loss cemented her enduring approach to life, always putting the welfare of others above her own, while asking little in return.

After graduating from Knappa High School in 1963, Joy left home for beauty school in Portland, a decision that set in motion several moves around the U.S. In her early 20s she moved to Tucson, Arizona, where she gave birth to her beloved daughter, Kristine (Kris), in 1969.

After the birth of Kris, Joy and family moved to New York City in 1970. Joy was drawn back to her family and friends in Astoria in 1974, where she would live the rest of her life.

Life was far from easy for Joy; as a single mother, she worked long hours at local canneries to sustain her family. She dedicated 20 years to working in these canneries, establishing friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Joy met local fireman James (Jim) Allen Roehr in 1987, and fell in love, a love that blossomed into the happiest of marriages, lasting over 32 years.

Joy loved to travel and see new places and people, but most of all, she loved connecting with old friends and making new ones. Spending time RVing was one of her favorite pastimes.

While she vigorously opposed her daughter ever riding on the back of a motorcycle, this became her favorite mode of travel, in no small part because she got to do so with the love of her life, Jim. The experiences, hours and miles of road they covered together are innumerable, and the sights and feelings only truly known by the two of them. However, that these were some of the happiest times of her life was a secret to no one.

Joy loved all her grandchildren, Haley (David) Galaktionoff, Sarah Crider, Luke Crider, James Roehr, Kilee (Kyle) Dixson, Lani Meyer, Nic Morris and Adrienne Morris; and great-grandchildren, Josiah Galaktionoff and Finnick Dixson.

Joy was preceded in death by her siblings, Sam, Orson and Jim; and is survived by her adoring husband, James Roehr; daughter, Kristine (Mike) Crider; son, Paul Roehr; stepdaughter, Traci (Travis) Hankins; stepson, Larry Morris; and sisters, Edi (Joe) Roshau and Kathi Johnson.

A celebration of life will be planned for this summer.