Joyce Ann Welch Alford, 87, went peacefully on the morning of May 23,2021, at the Dornburg Center of Compassion, with her family by her side.

Graveside service: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 12, 2021, at the Annetta Cemetery, 2778 N O'Neal Ave., Aledo, Texas. Arrangements are being handled by White's Funeral Home in Weatherford, Texas.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Joyce's name to Hospice of South Texas (hospiceofsouthtexas.org).

Born on February 5, 1934, she was the daughter of the late George and Nellie Welch. Joyce, who was born and lived most of her life in Fort Worth, Texas, graduated from Paschal High School and Brantley Draughon Business College. She moved to California for a brief time and worked for International Harvester when her stepfather moved the family there to find work himself. When the family returned to Texas, she went to work at General Dynamics in Fort Worth. She worked for GD (Lockheed Martin) for 37 years until her retirement at age 55.

She met the love of her life, Earnest Alford, at a street dance in Weatherford, Texas in 1956. They married in 1958 and were married for 63 years. They had one daughter, Ernette Alford Andrae, who gave them their one and only grandson, Jordan Lee Andrae. She enjoyed reading, playing games, riding horses, hunting and fishing, and traveling. She was a talented artist and wizard on a sewing machine!

After she and Earnest retired, they traveled and acquired many homes and properties around Texas. But once their grandson was born, they stayed close to help care for him while his parents worked. They never missed a game or activity he was in from Kindergarten through Senior year! Once he went off to college at Texas A&M University, they moved full time to Port O'Connor on the Texas coast.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; her stepfather, Joe Kyselka; and her sister, Sue Owens.

She is survived by her husband Earnest; her daughter, Ernette and her husband, Mark, all of Port O'Connor, Texas; her grandson, Jordan and his fiancé, Jenna Hoelscher of College Station, Texas; step-granddaughter, Kelsey Andrae of New York, New York; her twin sisters, Glenda Johnston of Beverly Hills, Florida and Linda Arieno of Chigiak, Alaska; as well as many, many nieces and nephews.