Joyce Collins Fellows
1929-2020 Resident of Walnut Creek, CA
Our irreplaceable Mom, a kind and gentle spirit, passed away July 29, 2020 in Walnut Creek, California.
Born in Dublin, Ireland to Martin and Lucy Collins, Mom grew up in Ballsbridge, Dublin. In her teens she studied for a year in Fribourg, Switzerland, a wonderful adventure, then returned home to Dublin to become a radiologic technologist. In her mid-twenties she moved, on her own, to New York City, working at various hospitals including NY Eye & Ear. After 2 years she moved and settled in San Francisco where she met and then married Sidney Fellows.
Joyce and Sid started a family, first came Catherine, then Kevin and finally Anne. A job offer for Sid came located in Sacramento and the family moved to nearby Davis, California, then a few years later, another opportunity to live for 3 1/2 years on the Mediterranean Island of Cyprus. For us all, especially Mom, these were the most wonderful, happiest times of our lives. After Cyprus, we returned to live in San Francisco, then finally moving to Walnut Creek.
Sid and Joyce divorced shortly after moving to Walnut Creek. Mom returned to work, holding 2-3 jobs keeping us three teenagers intact. Looking back at these “hard years” leaves us, her children, in awe of what she did for us. We will be forever grateful to her.
During this time Mom landed a job at Shell Oil refinery Martinez in the Medical Center where she organized, among other duties, the annual blood drive. She loved working at Shell helping her fellow employees.
Her happiest times were visiting Asilomar State beach, Stinson Beach, Pacific Grove and island of Cozumel.
In addition to her three Children, she leaves behind grandsons, Brian, Jessie, John, Granddaughter, Cara, great grandson, Maxwell, son-in-law, Ed as well as cousins, nieces and nephews.
She loved all of us very deeply and was very proud of her family.
We will miss her everyday, her rock solid sense, her gentleness, her being here for us no matter what-her truly unconditional love.
It was her Son’s honor to take care of his Mom for the past 3 years.
We love you Mom, forever.