Memorial Service Planned for Joy McDonald Anderson

Joyce (Joy) Ulene McDonald Anderson passed away peacefully at her home in Allen, Oklahoma on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the age of 90. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.

Joy was born May 12, 1934 in Bristow, Oklahoma a few minutes before her twin sister, June Aldean, to proud parents James Holland and Ebal Melanie (Young) McDonald. An older sister, Doris Jean, died earlier in infancy and a younger brother, James Eugene, was born in July, 1944.

Life during the Great Depression was difficult and work was hard to find, but in answer to his prayers for steady work, Joy’s father, “Mac”, was offered a job by Tom Jacobs of DX Oil Company at Allen in 1940 for 68 cents per hour.

Joy and June attended Allen schools until their graduation with the AHS class of 1952. The twins both attended Draughon’s School of Business in Oklahoma City following their high school graduation. In 1953, while working at one of her first jobs after business school, American Body and Trailer, Joy met and married Tommy Lee Anderson, who also worked there. Their son, Tommy Craig, was born in 1954.

Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, Joy worked as a bookkeeper at the Tinker AFB and Veterans Administration credit unions in Oklahoma City. In 1972 she relocated to Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Tom, and continued a bookkeeping career with the commercial construction company McFadden and Miller. Upon retirement from McFadden and Miller she relocated back to her beloved home town of Allen, Oklahoma. She happily remained in Allen until the day she died.

Joy is survived by her brother James; one son, Craig and his wife Kim; three granddaughters, Brooke and Max Desrochers, Ashley and Josh Gibson, and Alyssa and Jesse Gass; as well as numerous great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church of Allen, the time and date to be determined.