Joyce Machemehl Ueckert

Joyce Machemehl Ueckert began her life on December 12, 1927, in Houston, Texas. She was an only child, born to Blanche and Bernhard Machemehl. The family moved home to Bellville when Joyce was two. By second grade, Joyce had set her sights on marrying her classmate Clifton "Eck" Ueckert. They were wed on November 1, 1947. Joyce graduated from Bellville High School in 1945, and later received her degree from Blinn College. After college, she worked as a legal secretary for Judge Duncan, and then worked for the Texas Highway Department for several years. Joyce and Eck welcomed their first child. David, on December 3, 1952. Their daughter, Laura, followed five years later. In 1958, the family moved to Houston. Joyce loved being a wife, mother and homemaker. They relocated to Thousand Oaks, California, in 1968, where they made more lifelong friends. Tragically, at the age of 45, Eck passed away of a heart attack. It was the grievous event that drove Joyce to return to her roots in Texas, where she had the love and support of her parents and many old friends. She returned to work at the Texas Highway Department for several more years, and then made a career change to become an executive secretary for NCI Building. Joyce stayed at NCI until her retirement in 1993. Her dream of becoming a grandmother was finally realized "threefold" in 1998, when her daughter, Laura, gave birth to triplets; Olivia, Katy and Elizabeth. For the next twelve years, Joyce loved traveling between Texas, California and Hawaii to be the consummate grandmother. She was simply adored by her granddaughters, her son, her daughter, extended family and many friends. Joyce was a cancer survivor for thirty years; however, during the last year of her life, she bravely battled pulmonary disease. She passed away peacefully at Houston Hospice, held in her family's embrace on February 13, 2010.