LODEMA JOYCE HELLE, 16g (Maternal: Alta Fouts 15, Tracy Helle 14, Frederick 13. Paternal: Royle 15, George A. 14, Frederick 13)
  b. 22 Oct 1934; Ellisville, IL
  d. 21 Feb 1948; Ellisville, IL
  br. Wiley Cemetery; Ellisville, IL

LODEMA JOYCE HELLE was the fourth child of Alta (Fouts) and Royle Helle. As musically talented as her father and siblings, Joyce enjoyed the family band and performing. At thirteen years of age she was a happy, caring teenager. In late December, 1947, Joyce became ill with measles and the resulting high fever caused secondary encephalitis and she lapsed into a coma from which she never recovered. In addition to the complications caused by the measles, it was the opinion of two doctors that Joyce also had a brain tumor. This tragic situation had an unusual parallel. On 20 March 1943, Alta, suffering from severe head pain, was taken to Graham Hospital in Canton in the middle of the night. In the early morning hours, Dr. E. P. Coleman operated and removed a mastoid tumor. Alta recovered completely.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 "I Remember"

Lee Helle 16th g, From the age of four to six I lived at the home of Uncle Royle, after that many school summer vacations were spent on his farm. Uncle Royle's two children closest to myself in age  ( Joyce & Glen ) were like brother and sister to me. The mischief we didn't get into was never invented.  The loss of Joyce hit this thirteen old very hard, her smiling face and corn silk blonde hair is a picture still fresh in my mind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After three weeks of hospitalization and no signs of improvement, Alta and Royle took Joyce home. She was lovingly cared for through the last five weeks of her dying by her parents, her Uncle Joe and Aunt Myrtle Helle, other aunts and uncles and friends.

Besides the normal helplessness and grief one faces when the death of a loved one occurs,".. . the order of nature was reversed, for children are supposed to bury their parents." --Camus. The slow agonizing death of Joyce was one sorrow, time did not erase for her parents and family.

Royle wrote the following poem about daughter Joyce to Lois Greene, Tennessee; sister of his daughter-in-law Ilene (Jones) Helle. Royle never met Lois as she died at age thirty -six.

Five times the stork brought us great joy, 
Three times a girl and two times a boy.
And now they are grown and gone away,
My favorite is in her grave, so beautiful and gay.
The Lord wanted her in Heaven the people to cheer 
While we down here shed many a bitter tear.
As I sit here with tears on my face
I tell you that is one sorrow time cannot erase.
The sun is dull, it doesn't shine
Since I lost a precious one of mine.
I just looked out the window and what do I see
Three grandsons of mine to visit grandma and me.
I wipe off my tears and get to my feet
And go to the door, my grandsons to greet. 
I picked up little Stevie and I hold him tight
All at once the sun is shining very bright.