Joyce Lee Sween

Joyce Lee Russell was born in Columbus, Ohio on July 21, 1939 to Lewis and Irene Russell. She and her mother moved to Grand Meadow, Minnesota in 1956 where she met Darwin Sween. They were high-school sweethearts and married on August 29, 1957 in Grand Meadow, Minnesota. In 1962, Joyce and Dar moved to California where they raised four children; Crystal, Dana, Matthew, and Colleen. They lived 30 years in Whittier, California. Joyce was employed as a bus driver for the Whittier School District and drove spectator busses for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She played the piano and viola and gave piano lessons to the neighborhood kids. Her greatest and most successful venture, however, was the life time of care and nurturing she gave her family.

Joyce was very artistic and creative. She hand-made her children’s Halloween costumes every year, made costumes for school plays and events, painted, crafted, made toys for the neighborhood kids and could make just about anything the imagination could conjure. She was outgoing and engaging, had a great sense of humor and drew in everyone around her. The combination of her creative and effervescent personality led her to volunteer in the PTA, Camp Fire Girls, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and was very active in the Whittier youth swim team. Through these means, Joyce touched many lives and inspired both children and adults to reach beyond their limitations and achieve goals they never thought possible.

In 1974, she conceived and spearheaded a beautification project in North Whittier, California to keep graffiti off the block walls by painting colorful murals on them. The murals are still there today and are beautifully maintained.

Joyce was interested in everything that life offered. She was a loving and devoted wife of 60 years to Dar, supportive of him and shared his dreams. She loved him deeply and unconditionally. Joyce was an amazing mom who took the time to raise her children and be present in their lives. She tirelessly taught her children right from wrong, instilled strong morals, compassion, fairness and love. She took them everywhere they wanted to go or needed to be, attended every event and function, was involved in their interests and was committed to their success. She did her best to pass her love of life on to her children.

Her loving and happy spirit lives on in all of us, her family.

Joyce is survived by her husband of 60 years, Darwin Sween, daughters Crystal D’Amico, Dana Wolford, Colleen Loegering, son Matthew Sween, and 13 grandchildren.