Joyce McCain Harms of Little Rock, formerly of Dover, died on October 25, 2022. She was born on November 20, 1922 and would have been 100 on November 20. Alas, she and her family at least had the pleasure  of looking forward to the big birthday bash they had planned in her honor.  You were probably invited, but the invitations had not been sent out.

Joyce was born in Dover, Arkansas, graduated from Dover High School, and then married her long-time sweetheart, Edward Henry Louis Harms, also of Dover, in 1942. They both attended Arkansas Tech before marriage.

She was giving birth to her first child in 1944 while Ed was in the US Army about to deploy in the Pacific during World War II.  The army's policy was to allow a soldier to return home for the birth of a baby, but there was no telephone in the house, so Western Union was the fastest means of communication.  Western Union was closed on Sunday.  Baby Judy came on Sunday.  By Monday, Ed was shipped out to the Pacific, and Joyce was left to cope for the next two years with the loving help of her parents with whom she and the baby lived. She had many worries in her life, but remarkably she never doubted that God would bring Ed back safely—a major feat since he was involved in six invasions.

Ever resourceful, Joyce got a job teaching in Dover Grade School and later Dover High School. After the war, Ed went to the University of Arkansas on the GI bill and earned  a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Economics. When Ed took the two-year hiatus to earn a Master's Degree, Joyce got a job keeping books for Lonnie Hall Tailor in Fayetteville, and the tailor crafted Ed's clothes for the rest of his life. After returning to Dover, she continued to teach and gave birth to her second child, Steve, on January 1, 1953. Some may have been disappointed since it was one day late for the tax advantage afforded by a second child.   Joyce, however, was hoping the delivery was not late December as they needed a new paycheck to afford the $50 hospital bill. She was to have many other answered prayers over the coming years.

In 1960 the family moved to Russellville, Arkansas, and Joyce became a legal secretary.  Odds are that she must have made a typographical mistake at least once in a legal document, but it was never recorded.  She took her work seriously and taught that aspiration to others.

The final move in 1962 was to Little Rock for Ed's job as District Agent at the University of Arkansas Agricultural Extension Service.  Joyce earned a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and taught accounting at Hall High School.  She proctored the Future Business Leaders of America organization at Hall and organized many memorable events.  She once invited Bill Clinton to speak to the class, after which he asked,  "Did I do all right?  Did I do all right?"  As a FBLA sponsor, she was invited to speak at national and international events.

Tragedy struck in 1975 when Joyce's husband died suddenly.  She was already at the hospital when the ambulance pulled in slowly, too slowly.  She never wanted the farm, but she made a success of it by converting it from a registered polled Hereford beef cattle farm to a gas well and loblolly pine plantation, which was better suited to a woman's touch.  Well, an average woman, anyway.

Joyce never retired.  She kept meticulous books with a little help in the last few years from Arvest Bank.  The day before she died she was giving explicit instructions to her son on business matters and knew precisely where every document and envelope could be located in her house.

Joyce was a member of the Dover basketball team in her youth and an avid bridge player to the end.  After her death, a pile of winnings was discovered on a table.  Even in her later years, she was called upon to model the wasp-waisted 1890's styled dresses at charity events.  Once she tried to call in sick with a broken tail bone, but they pleaded with her that no one else could fit in the dress. She showed up.  Surprised?

Assuming you have read thus far, you should know that most important of all, Joyce was always an active member of the local church: Dover Cumberland Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian in Russellville, and Second Presbyterian in Little Rock.  As a volunteer to visit hospital patients on behalf of the church, she once went to see the inventor of the Munsey toaster.  Joyce told him she had purchased one of the first models of his toaster, and she described it perfectly.    Mr. Munsey's wife said she had never had a so-described model, but he explained that she was his second wife and just didn't know.

Joyce Harms was preceded in death by her parents, Sidney Floyd McCain and Ilah Gertrude Johnson McCain of Dover, her husband, Edward Henry Louis Harms, and her brother, Kenneth Harold McCain of Fort Smith.

She is survived by her daughter, Judy Gayle Harms Niehaus, Ph.D. (Walter Gerhard Niehaus, Ph.D.) of Blacksburg, Virginia, her son, Steven Edward Harms, M.D. (Sally Stallcup Harms, M.D., J.D.) of Fayetteville, Arkansas, three grandchildren, Stacy Alison Harms Zabriskie, M.D. (Aaron Zabriskie, M.D.), Felicity Niamh McCabe, and Gregory Louis Harms (Shelby Shipley), three great-grandchildren, Finn Alexander Griffon-McCabe, Elliot Ruva Zabriskie, and Aiden Ngoni Zabriskie; a niece, Kenya McCain Harbin; and two nephews, William Sidney McCain and Brian Alan McCain.

The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at Dover Cumberland Presbyterian Church with burial at Rest Haven Memorial Park under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville.

The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.

No gift is as valuable as your attendance, but donations to Dover Cumberland Presbyterian or Second Presbyterian in Little Rock, or a charity of your choice would be graciously appreciated.