Joyce Marie (Wakefield) Caylor was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, though most called her Uma. Joyce had a heart for others and was always trying to help people. Joyce Marie Caylor, 79, Olathe, Kansas, died of kidney failure on Feb. 6, 2024.

Joyce Marie Caylor was born June 11, 1944, to Webster and Mable Wakefield. Her favorite thing to do was to go to the farm with her brothers. Joyce married John H. Caylor. Joyce, John, Jim (brother-in-law), and Joy (sister-in-law) were inseparable. They spent many years together and even after John died, Joy and Jim were there to help Joyce. Joyce and John were excited to start a family. They had Jeff Caylor and Joni Moreland (Caylor). John died when the children were still young, and Joyce worked hard to provide for the youngsters despite the circumstances. If you asked her about it, she would tell you she would do it again because she cared so much for them.

Joyce became a grandmother (Uma) on Feb. 1, 1991, and would go on to have another grandchild later. Though she only had two biological grandchildren, Suzanne Clark (no Phillips) and Jonathan Clark, she would also claim others as hers. At one point, she had 10 to 15 that she claimed as her own. She loved to be a grandmother. Joyce spent every Friday night with her grandchildren. As she told Joni, “I’m coming to get the kids on Friday night. You two can go on a date or whatever you please, but I’m taking the kids.” Joyce regularly would find other reasons to go see them, including bringing cheese dip for Jon and taking Suzanne, Shay, and all their friends to the mall.

Though Joyce loved being a grandmother, her absolute favorite was to be a great-grandmother. Joyce would tell you she had the best job in the world, “I go to the beach (Starfish Project Foundation) every day and get to play with my great-grandkids.” Daniel was born on her 76th birthday, and Esther was born four days before her 78th birthday. Joyce did not like to fly alone or take days off from Starfish Project Foundation but made at least two trips a year to see Daniel until he moved back to Olathe. Then, when Esther was born, one of her favorite things to do was to hold Esther for her naps. Charlie, though not biologically related was also hers and was very special to her. Joyce and the children had a special bond you could not break.

Joyce had several jobs throughout her life, but none was as important as working at Starfish Project Foundation, AKA the Beach. Joyce shared Joni’’s passion for helping others and did so many things for many people. If you asked Joyce why she did what she did, she would go into many stories of the people she helped and the impact it had on their lives. One that stands out was a family that came in looking for help because the husband had just lost his job, and they couldn’t get food stamps before they ran out of food in their house. Another was a woman who was using a walker that needed a couch. Joyce got her a couch and had it delivered. Because the woman was able to sit on the couch and not just her bed, they realized her bed was causing her issues, and now she can walk without a walker.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Webster and Mable Wakefield, and her husband, John Caylor.

She is survived by her brothers who meant the world to her, Richard and Nancy Wakefield, Raymond and Carol Wakefield, Robert and Vonda Wakefield, Roger and Melva Wakefield, and Roy and Mary Wakefield. She is also survived by her children, Jeff Caylor, Joni Moreland and her husband, Thomas Moreland; her many grandchildren, Suzanne Phillips and husband, Tegan Phillips, Jonathan Clark and soon-to-be wife, Hannah Rardin; great-grandchildren, Daniel and Esther Phillips; nieces, nephews and all those she helped.

The service date has yet to be determined. Please help her family continue her legacy and in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Starfish Project Foundation in her memory.