Joyce Dobra

Eulogy Joyce Isobel Dobra was the beloved mother of seven children, the adored nanna of 18 grandchildren and great knitty nanna of 24 great grandchildren. Joyce Isobel Westall was born on the 6th of June, 1928. She was the 6th of Mary and Thomas Westall's 8 children. Joycee was the second Westall born in Australia. Joycee grew up south of Perth and attended school at Baldivas, Mandogolup and Hope Valley Primary Schools. At Baldivas Primary School she befriended Glady, one of her lifelong friends. At an early age Joycee's fun seeking, spirited and rebellious ventures established her as the black sheep of her family. Joycee was a bit of a scallywag and a tomboy. Not everyone rode a pig to school. Joyce often managed to get into trouble at school. She dipped an annoying girl’s plait into an inkwell. One day she went too far and snipped another girl's plait off. Young Joycee was game to partake in all sorts of mischief. Joyce wagged school on more than one occasion, hiding and playing in the bush. One day, while wagging and hiding in the bushes close to the school grounds, Joycee heard what she thought was the home bell. She raced home. It was only the recess bell. Oops! Joycee copped it from her mum. Another time, in an effort to raise spending money, Joycee went door knocking and sold raffle tickets for a non-existent prize. Unknowingly she knocked on the principal's door and sold him tickets. She thought that if he didn't win something he would tell her mum. Joycee returned shortly to the principal's house and handed him first prize, a live bantam chook. Nanna Westall was furious when she found out what had happened to her prized bantam. The Westall family moved to Palmyra where Joyce attended high school. There she befriended her second lifelong friend, Joy. Glady introduced Vera to Joy and Joyce. The four girls bonded and remained friends their entire lives. When Joyce left high school she worked in various jobs, including a stint at baby sitting, a job that would prepare her for the years ahead. Joyce loved dancing. She glided over the floor, pure magic to watch. As a teenager Joyce was entrusted to take her younger brother and sister to the movies. Instead she would sneak off to the local dance while they watched the movie. The deal was that they told her the story outline in return for some treat. Joyce was then able to retell the movie plot to her parents. One day Joyce didn't deliver the treat so her brother and sister told her the wrong story. Joyce was caught out when she retold the movie plot. At the age of 18 Joyce met Frederick Dobra at the local dance in April and married him in December, 1947. Fifteen months later Jeanette arrived, the first of seven children to be born within 10 years. Fred and Joyce moved out to Cannington in 1950 with their two small children, Jeanette and Freddy. Their family soon grew in number to include Lorraine, Kathleen, Sandra, Ronald and Garry. In those days Cannington seemed like the other side of the world. Joyce did not have the benefit of phone contact and missed talking with her parents and siblings. Each Sunday she would take her brood to visit her parents and other family members. It wasn’t easy raising seven active and adventurous children but Joyce and Fred did their best. Joyce's generosity was especially evident at Christmas time. On Christmas Eve Joyce invited children from the neighbourhood in to get gifts from under the huge Christmas tree. The traditional Christmas lunch included home-raised chickens which Joyce decapitated, hung on the Hills Hoist and employed her children to pluck. Her home made plum puddings were laden with sixpences. It’s amazing that no one ever broke a tooth or choked on a sixpence. After a full-on Christmas Day at home the family would gather at Nanna and Grandad Westall’s place for a huge family celebration, a night of laughter, song and dance. Joyce loved to party and socialise with her friends, especially Glady, Joy and Vera. They created a tradition and lunched together every Thursday. Their pre-school children loved these special lunchdates. When attending lodge functions with Fred she was always the first on the dance floor and dazzled all with her graceful movements. Joyce's love of life often meant that the practicalities of life went out the windw and fun flew in. Fred and Joyce moved to Spearwood. When Fred retired they made several road trips around Australia and in particular to Queensland where at one stage four of their seven children lived. Joyce cherished these trips and the friendships she made. Joyce loved to have a flutter. She loved special outings to the casino and taught many of her grandkids how to play poker and Uno. In 1994 Fred died. As a testament to her strength of character, on Fred’s death bed Joyce promised to give up her 3 packets a day smoking habit. One month after his death she quit smoking unaided. Frank Sullivan has been Joyce's companion and best friend for the last 15 years. They made each other very happy. Joyce's eyes would light up whenever Frank walked into the room. As Joyce's health deteriorated Frank could no longer care for her. Even though Joyce was succumbing to Alzheimer's she still recognised each of her children and loved them dearly. She maintained her wicked sense of humour to the end. Recently, when Kathie and Garry visited they mentioned a photo of Joyce and her seven children sitting on the couch. 'Eight children!' she said. 'No Mum,' Kathie said, 'You only have seven kids.' Quick as a whip Joyce retorted, 'I hid the black one behind the couch!' Staff at the Aegis Hilton admired Joyce's fiesty character because she would give them cheek. She always had something to say. One night Joyce got hold of a mobile phone and rang the police, telling them that she was being held captive and she wanted to be rescued. Imagine the shock on the night nurse's face when she received a phone call from the police, asking if they were holding Joyce Dobra captive. After that all phones were banned. Sadly Joyce passed away on Tuesday, the 25th of March. Joyce's family are here to honour their mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother. They love her and always will. We will cherish the memories .