Luncheon Meeting

Joyce Denke is from the small town of Riesel near Waco, Texas where she and her husband enjoy their retirement on the family farm.  She now spends three months at their home in Ruidoso,NM  every summer enjoying their beautiful cool weather.

Joyce graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor College in Belton, Texas with a degree in sociology and a minor in physical education.  After graduation, she was named to the Outstanding Young Women of America.  She joined the Red Cross to go to Vietnam after college where she served one year as a “Donut Dollie” from Oct 70-to Oct 71.

Upon her return to the states, Joyce continued to work for the Red Cross in the Hospital Recreation Program at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas .  She then went “North” to Kansas City, Missouri where she was the Red Cross youth director.  She was promoted to Southeastern Area Youth Director in Atlanta, Georgia where she provided leadership to a ten state area.

Joyce moved back to Texas to work in a new field.  She was among the first women to become a typewriter repair person for IBM !  She laughing remember one time when she had a typewriter all torn apart and a man walked by and said, what’s the matter,  honey, lost your lipstick?”

Joyce was the owner of an independent insurance agency in Groesbeck, Texas for 28 years. During this time, she was active in the Chamber of Commerce and several county committees and boards.

Joyce retired in 2009 and hasn’t stopped since!   After retirement, she and her husband volunteered for 10 years in Colorado at the YMCA of the Rockies conference center called Snow Mountain Ranch.  At the Y, she worked in the fishing shop, the gift shop, as volunteer activity coordinator, philanthropy, and with the international college kids.  Her “job” was to plan and provide cultural and fun activities for them. They have also volunteered with their RV at a lighthouse in Washington State, a church camp 200 feet from the ocean in Oregon, at Texas State Parks, an RV park in New Mexico and a golf course in Michigan.

Joyce is a breast cancer survivor and is a volunteer fly fishing instructor for a breast cancer retreat. . Joyce is an avid outdoor person who enjoys golf, hunting, and fishing.  She has spoken to groups all over Texas about Vietnam and welcomes the opportunity to tell their unique story.

At checkin, please purchase raffle tickets from Marshal Teipel to support our YLC programs.

Please indicate that you will attend by registering with the following options: 1. By registering on the chapter web site and paying by PayPal or credit card at dallasmoww.org “events” NLT 5:00PM THE THURSDAY BEFORE ($38.00); 2. Mailing a check ($37) TO ARRIVE NLT 5:00PM THURSDAY THE WEEK BEFORE to MOWW-Dallas; P.O. Box 12081; Dallas 75225.

Once early registration is closed, walk-in attendance is $40. 

Meal price includes buffet by the Park City Club staff and free parking. Coffee/tea available for $4 at check in.