Joyce was born on the family farm in New York Mills, Minn., to Eino and Ida Koria. She had two older brothers, Howard and Merville, an older sister, Lorraine, and a younger sister Marilyn. Joyce spoke Finnish until she was 12 years of age.

Following high school graduation, although a competent typist, Joyce opted to work on, or rather, in Boeing aircraft as a riveter. Her small stature allowed her to access the inside of the wings.

In Seattle, she met Murray D. Giles, originally from Olympia but on leave after action in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Manila Bay. Murray and Joyce were both prolific letter writers and after more time in action, the war finally ended and they married on Jan. 2, 1946. The new Giles family was stationed at NAS Whidbey Island; then Tillamook, Ore., Corpus Christi, Texas, Millington, Tenn., Corpus Christi again, Norfolk, Va., Barber’s Point, Hawaii, and finally, full circle, back to Whidbey Island, where Murray retired as chief aviation electronics technician in 1961. Along the way, sons Brian, ’47; Loren, ’49; daughters Cindy, ’51; Lani, ’57; and sons Scott, ’59; and Murray Dean, ’61 were welcomed into the family.

While Murray bought and operated the Dayton-Traister Company, making aftermarket triggers for military surplus rifles, Joyce worked making circuit boards for Lectrion and Melco. Murray passed on in 1993 following a stroke suffered while agate hunting. When not working, the family spent a lot of time agate hunting, gardening, traveling and watching movies at the Blue Fox. The Giles family was a family of readers. While on deployment, Murray would write letters, replacing occasional words with a picture so that Brian or Loren could help “read” the letters that Joyce would read aloud to them.

“For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.”

Thanks for the treasure, Mom.

Donations can be made to the charity of your choice (Many thanks to the incredibly wonderful folks at Harbor Tower and Whidbey Health Hospice).

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Aug. 9 at 2 p.m. at Wallin Funeral Home, 1811 NE 16th in Oak Harbor. Dress for the weather.

Arrangements entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home, Oak Harbor, Wash.