Joyce Kirkes

Joyce Aileen (Whitten) Kirkes, age 83 went to be with her beloved Lord and Savior, Saturday, September 4, 2021.

Joyce was born on May 26, 1938, the second child of Howard and Ruth (Rhodes) Whitten in St. Vincent’s Hospital, Little Rock.  She was the sole surviving triplet of the birth.

She is survived by son, Michael Dillon of Jacksonville, AR; daughter Teresa Kirkes of Portland, Oregon; two grandchildren, Kesia Marie McHenry and Michael McHenry; and three great-grandchildren, Olivia Paige, Sophia Marie and Michael Lathon McHenry, Jr., all of Oregon; and sister Janelle Weaver of Battle Creek, Michigan.

Joyce was preceded in death by her sisters, Shirley Chapman and Donna Ryder and brothers, Gene Whitten and Joel Whitten.

She worked in San Diego, California for Hewlett-Packard aerospace engineering.  Her former husband, James Kirkes, passed away in January 2021.

She was a faithful member of the Friendly Chapel Church of the Nazarene, North Little Rock, AR where she served many years at the annual Fish Fry and loved sending cards of encouragement to her church family.

She had been well cared for by the staff of the Blossom Nursing Home, North Little Rock since 2019 where she served as a patient advocate.  Joyce was an example to all who knew her to stop and smell the roses along the way, trust the Lord and journal her gratitude.

Funeral will be 1:00 PM, Monday, September 13, 2021 at Friendly Chapel Church of The Nazarene, with visitation beginning at 12:00 PM. Burial will be at 3:00 PM at Rhoades Cemetery in Sheridan.

Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home , 1921 Main St, North Little Rock, AR 72114, 501-758-1170.