Joyce Elaine Dean

Joyce Elaine Dean, 82, passed away on May 7th 2022 after a long illness.

Born in Oklahoma in 1940 in a rural farmhouse, Joyce was the second of seven children. Her mother was a schoolteacher and her father was a cowboy. In the early to mid 1940's she and her family moved to California. Her dad built ships for the war. After the war, they ended up in the Del Rosa area, where the family built a house. She went to high school in San Bernardino and then attended UCR.

In the early 1960's, Joyce began her career as an estimator and project manager in the construction industry. She continued over the next 20 years to build many large commercial projects in Southern California including the development of 3,000 acres in Garner Valley.

Joyce then went on to become a breeder of Persian Cats, and won Statewide awards. She was also a member of the Redlands Horticultural and Improvement Society, The Flower Arrangers Guild, the Historical Society, The Old House Group, and The Historical Glass Museum, to name a few.

Joyce enjoyed writing columns in the local newspapers about Persian cats and horticulture. She was a well respected and nationally accredited flower show judge. Joyce was also recognized as the California Floral Arranger of the Year.

She will be greatly missed. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Christopher, her son, David, and her two Grandchildren, Everly and Peter, all living in Redlands CA.