Joy Leora Hanson Beaver was born 1/22/1920, in Carrington, ND. She died August 25, 2016, at the Northeast Louisiana Veterans Home with family at her side.When Joy was 9 years old her family of 6 packed up the Model T and moved from Wisconsin to Chehalis, WA. She lived on the family farm taking care of the chickens, the chicken coops, picking strawberries, and bailing hay. One day as she was bringing in the firewood for the wood stove, her grandfather remarked that Joy was as strong as a mule. She said that was not exactly what a young teenage girl wanted to hear. Joy along with her brother and sisters told stories of working on the farm during the depression years. The work was hard and days were long, but they all felt they were better people for having learned, “hard work never hurt anyone “.Joy left Chehalis, WA in 1939 to attend Nursing School at St. Josephs School of Nursing in Vancouver, WA. After nursing school, she joined the U.S. Navy as a registered nurse during WWII. She was a 1st Lieutenant JG stationed in Bremerton, WA and San Diego, CA .These were some of the best years of her life and she was proud to have served her country. She went to Chicago, Illinois after the war and worked at a maternity hospital before moving to Louisiana in 1949 with her former husband, George Beaver.Joy worked as an RN in surgery at St. Francis Medical Center, and P & S Surgical Center. She retired when she was 72 years old, but continued to volunteer in the surgery waiting room for another 20 years. She loved her work, and looked forward to everyday at the hospital. She was well known for her “naughty” sense of humor, loved a good joke, and a tidbit of gossip.The last years of her life were good, she often said “I don't hurt anywhere, am I supposed to?”or Getting old is the pits! . Till the end she said, “Always keep your sense of humor”. Good job, Joy you always made us laugh and you never lost your smile or your sense of humor.Joy was preceded in death by her mother, Grace Hanson, her father, Nels Hanson, her twin sister, Joyce Jones and her brother Nels Hanson, Jr. She is survived by her sister Wilma Brown, daughter Debra Ryan ( Herschel), sons, George Beaver(Rhonda) and Jan Beaver (Leslie). Five grandchildren, Michael Ryan, Jeffrey Ryan, William Beaver, Sarah Beaver, Elizabeth Beaver and two great grandchildren: Paige and Jack Ryan.A memorial service will be held at Kilpatrick Funeral Home, 1200 Lamy Lane, Monroe, LA on Sunday August 28, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. Visitation will be from 2:00-3:00 p.m. at the funeral home.Our family would like to thank the entire staff of the Northeast Louisiana Veterans Home for their loving care of Joy. The staff was attentive, kind and professional. They worked hard to make sure she was comfortable and safe. They took time to get to know Joy; and even had fun stories to share of her days with them.