Jeannette "Joy" (Marshbanks) Huskey

Jeannette Joy Marshbanks Huskey was born on August 8, in San Francisco, California. The year that she was born has been a well-kept secret, since she only said, “I am as old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth.” Jeanette preferred to go by her middle name, Joy, which was completely appropriate.

Joy grew up in San Francisco and married Billy Ray Huskey, with whom she had five children. Her oldest child, Raymond Huskey proceeded Joy in death and her surviving children are Michael, Elizabeth, Timothy and Katrina.

Joy also has 12 loving grandchildren: Alissa, Byron, Whitney, Jayson, Benjamin, Billy, Amy, Chelsea, Cody, Jeremy, Mercedes, Fiona and Connor. Joy also has a brand-new, great-granddaughter, Harper from Byron’s wife, Nicole.

Joy also inherited and loved new children through the marriage of her children. Daughter-in-law’s, Nila, Yvette, Valerie, Tina and Cathy; Son-in-law’s, John and Jay.

Joy also had a devoted and gracious adopted family from Bill’s second marriage: Rosemarie Huskey, Jen (Huskey) & Jay Palcon, Chloe Huskey, Charmaine Huskey and Amerie & Mason Palcon.

WHAT SHE DID

Besides performing the incredible task of raising five children, Joy’s first job, outside of the house, was as a teacher’s aid at Lincoln Elementary School. There, she studied early childhood education and absolutely loved working with young children. Eventually, she and her then husband, Bill Huskey, purchased a small hearing aid office in Escondido, California. Joy managed two locations and had an incredible ability to empathize with hearing-impaired seniors. They just loved her. Joy and Bill eventually built their practice to earn the Western United States regional award for the best hearing aid practice, by Beltone Electronics in Chicago, IL. She eventually became licensed as a hearing healthcare practitioner by the state of California and helped countless patients achieve better hearing.

In midlife, Joy went to work for Penton Overseas, acting as the “Radar O’Reilly” for Penton’s executive team. She loved that job and was very good at it.

Joy had the heart of a servant. She spent most of her time caring for the least of those among us. In her later years, she played the lead role in building homeless shelters in Oceanside, California. Almost every day, she would pick up homeless men and women in her van and bring them to Brother Benos soup kitchen. She fought tirelessly on the Oceanside housing board to help those who could not help themselves.

Joy sacrificed a great deal to make the lives of others better. She will never ask God, “Lord, when did I see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help?”

Joy spent years in a prison ministry, visiting prisoners while seeing them through God’s compassionate eyes. In the last six years of her life, although severely limited in her mobility, Joy managed a busy food bank, where hundreds of people were fed each week. Joy would spend her own money on food and countless hours collecting more food and organizing it for efficient distribution to the poor.

Not content with just handing out food, Joy spent so many hours of her pre-holidays by preparing Easter baskets, Christmas and other holiday baskets for disadvantaged children. She would include stuffed animals, candies and small gifts in each basket, bringing delight to children, that would otherwise not have received those blessings. She was always sure to include Scripture in the baskets, to make sure that God received the glory.

Joy volunteered for the Salvation Army, ringing the bell with a smile on her face to help others in need. One of her favorite ministries was to narrate and help create full scale puppet shows for senior centers. As many as 40 children and twice as many puppets would bring the story of Jesus to those who often didn’t receive any visitors. Joy often took the opportunity to speak directly to those who might soon be passing themselves. She never preached, but others said she spoke directly to their hearts, as a loving sister might speak to a sibling.

WHO SHE WAS

Joy deeply loved her friends. Her closest friends brought so much happiness to her life. She felt that God showered His blessings on her life through her dear friends & treasured church members. She met so many wonderful people, who did so much for the Lord, that she found it difficult to thank them adequately.

Joy’s greatest hope and desire was to someday meet God and hear the words “Well done my good and faithful servant.” She loved God with all her heart, mind, soul and strength. She had no doubt that God was both the God of judgment and extreme mercy. She experienced His grace throughout her life and it helped her through the loss of her first born; and through her struggle with cancer, on three separate occasions. She never lost faith, she kept her course and she finished the race. Someone told her before she died that they hope their shed size home can be in the same heavenly yard as her spectacular mansion.

Like the apostle Paul, Joy learned one of life’s most important lessons: To be content in all circumstances. Not to be satisfied with the status quo, but to find delight in the Lord wherever she found herself. Joy talked to God, more than anyone that her children have ever known. She knew Him well and most importantly, was known by Him. Those of us who mourn the absence of her incredible presence, see through a glass, dimly, but she now sees Him face-to-face. Oh, what joy!

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