Evelyn Joyce Creamer

With profound love and respect, we honor the life of Evelyn Joyce Creamer, whose warmth, wisdom, and unwavering strength created a home for all who knew her.

Born in Neches, TX, Joyce was a force of nature from the start. Throughout her childhood, she attended 13 schools as her father’s work on the oil derricks required frequent moves. Despite this, Joyce always found a way to thrive, adapting to each new place and making lifelong friendships.

Joyce’s college years were marked by her time at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM, where she became the rodeo queen, embodying both grace and strength. She married Stanley "Keith" Creamer when he returned from serving in the war, and together, they had five strong-willed children, each of whom she loved fiercely and raised with deep care.

A woman of many talents, Joyce worked in various roles throughout her life. She was a teacher in Willcox Unified School District and San Simon Unified School District. She also served as a Jafra makeup representative, managed the Bowie Swimming Pool (where she taught swimming and tended to its natural hot spring well water), and was an active member of Lambda Chi Omega Beta and the Methodist Church. Her diverse work experiences also included roles as a high school soda fountain “jerk,” a grain truck driver for her dear friend Billie Ray’s family during harvest season, and a legal assistant during her college years.

Joyce’s home was her sanctuary—a place filled with the delicious smell of home-cooked meals and the welcoming embrace of a heart that made everyone feel at ease. She had a unique ability to offer comfort and no-nonsense advice in equal measure. Her resilience and grace carried her through both life’s joys and hardships, always maintaining composure and charm in the face of adversity.

Her ice blue eyes could see straight through to your soul, revealing the love and wisdom that lay within her. And her vibrant laugh—one that filled every room with joy—was unforgettable.

She never left the house without lipstick, and her hair and nails were always perfectly done. Her outer beauty was a reflection of the radiance within her heart.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, B.R. and Dorothy Christmas; her half-sister, Charlene Smith; her half-brother, Garland Christmas; her sister, Billie Jean Moore; her husband, Stanley Keith Creamer; her son, Tommy Glen Creamer; and her daughter, Jerri Lynn Flaming.

She is survived by her daughter, Donna Schmelzla; her sons, Joe Creamer and Bill Creamer; her grandson, Marty Ellis (Adrienne); her granddaughter Katy (Brannon) Holley; great-granddaughter, Sheridan Ellis; and great-grandson, Brent Holley.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to:

Willcox FFA

240 N.Bisbee Ave.

Willcox, AZ 85643