Joyce Dell Grover Nicholson

Joyce Grover Nicholson, age 86, of Mt. Pleasant, MI, passed away Saturday, June 29, 2024, at Crestwood Assisted Living. Joyce was born January 12, 1938, in Alton, Illinois, the daughter of the late Arthur and Hazel (Harpole) Grover. She was preceded in death by her sister Jean Gay (Grover) Stovall and brother Mark Grover. She is survived by her daughters Jennifer (Nicholson) Johnson and Kirsten Nicholson; grandchildren Ryne and Cicely Johnson, and Cordelia Brown; great-granddaughter Sofia Johnson; and her siblings Priscilla (Grover) Callahan, Arthur Grover, Dana Grover, and Nancy Grover. Joyce graduated from East Alton – Wood River Community High School and then, after working a few years taking classes at Blackburn College (Illinois) and later as a secretary while living in Texas, she went to Washington, D.C. to attend training for the Foreign Service. From there, she traveled to Pakistan, Denmark, and Russia. For a small-town girl, she loved the experiences she had traveling and sharing these stories with her family and friends. She then settled in Mt. Juliet, TN to raise her family. While in Mt. Juliet, Joyce's interests included flowers, books, and knitting. She was well known for the socks she would knit and give as Christmas gifts. In her later years, she moved to Mt. Pleasant, MI, to be closer to her youngest daughter, Kirsten. Throughout her life, she diligently stayed in contact with family far and near whether by phone, email, or  letters and cards. She thoroughly enjoyed sending and receiving letters and never missed sending a card or two to her loved ones on their birthdays. She was known for her ability to fill a card on the front, back, and everywhere in between. She would also take great satisfaction in finishing her thank you notes for every gift received before the end of Christmas Day. Her writings revealed a lady with a brilliant mind who embraced life with grace, humor, and humility. She had a strict moral code for herself and others as well as very strong opinions. She loved to have discussions on any topic, but especially when it came to politics or world news. Despite her strong opinions, she was always truly interested in what other people thought. She loved cooking for family and then gathering at the kitchen table for family stories with a "cuppa" tea. In her later years, despite battling pain and struggles with ambulation, she never let it get in the way of having a good time and remained interested in trying new things all her life.

Plans for a memorial service in her honor will be forthcoming; in the meantime, enjoy a Snickers or Moon Pie in her honor, or hoist a Cosmopolitan drink – she would love that!