Joy Linn Peterson Crain

Joy Linn Peterson Crain, 64, of Ozark, Arkansas died December 31, 2021 in Cozumel, Mexico. Joy Linn was born on January 30, 1957 in Houston, Texas to Billy Joe Peterson and Hazel Mae Miller. Joy Linn grew up in Houston and graduated in 1975 from Sharpstown High School. She was a loyal fan and mini season ticket holder of the Houston Astros, along with her sister, Sherry Susan and attended many Houston Oiler games in the Luv Ya Blue days of Earl Campbell and Coach Bum Phillips. Joy was an avid golfer and played often with her friends in Houston, Austin and Ozark and in many of the Wednesday Night Two Lady Scrambles and Some Thursday Night Two Person Scrambles in Ozark. She was also an excellent snow skier and water skier and had her own slalom water ski. Joy was in a company bowling league with her fellow workers in Houston and Austin and of course had her own bowling ball and shoes. Joy was a proud member of the prestigious Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as a volunteer on the BBQ Cook Off Committee from 1978-2004, along with her lifelong best friend, Cindy Griswold. In the career world, Joy started working at 16 years old, after school. Joy Linn worked in Administrative Banking and Computer Support and Services for 20 years in Houston and Austin, Texas. She moved to Ozark in 1993 and worked as Office Manager and Secretary for Shaffer Funeral Home for 9 years from 1997-2006. Joy Linn was a huge animal lover and her two cats, Minka and Mewsley2, were her four legged babies. She had a big heart and could not stand to see animals mistreated, sick or hungry. She fed over 10 feral cats that lived in the woods and creek area across the street. She put food and water on her porch every evening at 5:30pm and sometimes there were four or five already waiting in their same spot in her yard before she got the four large bowls of food and four of water loaded up. For the most part, they were patient and waited their turn. They kept steadily coming until well after 2am. She would have had them all in her house if possible. Joy fiercely loved her family and did everything she could to be with them. She deeply cared about people, her friends and her family. She was a loyal friend and had faith and hope and love in her heart for her family and friends. Joy was happy coming back to Ozark in 2018 after living three years in Frisco Texas. She got to be with family and see her grandniece, Avery and grandnephews, Ian and Ayden growing up. She bought an enormous inflatable pool for them to come swim in every summer. If it had a hole or leak in it, she ordered another one. She loved putting a lawn chair in front of her garage and she and her sisterly neighbor, Joanne Acord, watched them splish and splash and swim around in the pool. Her grandnephew, Ayden, holds a special place in her heart and they had a strong bond. He rode the bus to her house after school and she had a snack all ready for him. She guided him through his lesson of the day and they went over everything to make sure he understood the lesson and studied his spelling words together. He read his required books on the library book list to her. He is an excellent reader, speller and math whiz! Her fridge was stocked with his favorite food and snacks and his favorite drink, water. He is such a smart kid and we told him he was going to be valedictorian of his class if he continued to study. He is always thirsty for more knowledge and is a quick learner. She attended all of his school events and sporting events even as she struggled with having to use a cane or walker to make it across the grass. She took him to the community pool and he taught himself how to do a flip off the diving board from watching other people do one. He is very athletic and excels at golf, baseball, basketball and football and she attended every one of those events that she could. She loved watching him swim, golf, play baseball, basketball, football, play fortnight, or just sleep. She loved him more than anybody or anything. To be there for him gave her an even stronger will to live. Joy was preceded in death by her father, Billy Joe Peterson and her mother and stepfather, Hazel Mae and Ashton Ray Olano. Joy is survived by three sisters, Jennifer Jo Shaffer and husband, Jack of Ozark, Arkansas; Lisa Ann Hampshire and husband Charles of Frisco, Texas; and Sherry Susan Hall and husband David of Frisco, Texas. Her two nieces, Jacey Jo Cooper and husband Jason of Alma, Arkansas; and Kinsey Eliot and her husband Don of The Colony, Texas; Her four nephews, Jake Shaffer of Alexander, Arkansas; Wesley Turner and wife Carly of Pearland, Texas; Mason Turner and wife Carrie of Houston, Texas; and Coby Turner and partner Molli Samuels of Keller, Texas. Her five grandnieces, Avery Jo Cooper, of Alma Arkansas; Harper Turner of Pearland, Texas; Henley Schmalz Turner of Kansas City, Kansas; Kiely Turner of Houston, Texas; and Ashton McDonald and husband Julio of Houston, Texas. Her five grandnephews, Ian Cooper of Alma, Arkansas; Ayden Shaffer of Ozark, Arkansas; Logan Eliot of The Colony, Texas; Wyatt Turner of Pearland, Texas; and Kindon Eliot of The Colony, Texas; and so many wonderful close friends and family members of Ozark and Altus, Arkansas; Houston, Richmond, Austin and Frisco, Texas. Memorial Service will be held at a later date at Shaffer Funeral Home of 0zark with Reverend Craig Smith officiating.

Joy Linn Peterson Crain

January 30, 1957 - December 31, 2021