Our beloved mother and grandmother, Joyce Cassani, passed away on December 6, 2022, after a three and one-half years battle with ovarian cancer.

Joyce was born to Frank and Mildred Pohle on July 19, 1952, in Bellingham, Washington. She has two older sisters, Sharon and Patricia. When Joyce was younger, her favorite activities were being outdoors and playing with friends! She said she was happiest running around outside. In her younger years, she was curious about many things, a whiz at school, and sewed almost all her own clothing. She grew up with cats, dogs, and doing lots of outdoor chores.  She graduated Bellingham High School in 1970, married her first husband (Jon Wilm) on her 18th birthday, and lived in Japan one year while he was stationed there in the Air Force.  After moving back to the United States, first to Southern California, then Sacramento, CA, they ended up back in Bellingham, WA. She completed some college courses but then had three children:  Marla, Brandon and Nicholas. Later she became a legal secretary, attended school to become a court reporter, worked administratively in a medical company, and then as a clerk for the US Probation Department in Roseville, CA, until her retirement. 

Joyce moved to the Sacramento area in 1986. In January 1994 she married Steve Cassani and was welcomed into the Cassani clan. They built their new lives together, for almost 29 years. 

Joyce learned to love Jesus as a young girl, thanks to her childhood friend Jeanette (Nelson) Gates, whose family welcomed she and her sister often at their church. She was a humble and helpful servant to others, and a hard worker in all she endeavored. She loved the music at church and easily shared love and warmth with others. She was a part of Centerpoint Community Church and attended many women's events there. She continued sewing into her final year of life, as well as gardening and daily walks with her husband and their dog Bo, as long as she could. 

Joyce is survived by many loving family members, including her husband Steve Cassani, of Citrus Heights, CA, her sisters Sharon Pohle Kukowski, of Bellingham, WA, and Patricia Greene, of Castle Rock, WA, her daughter Marla Watkins of Citrus Heights, CA, and her sons Brandon Wilm of Kennewick, WA, and Nicholas Wilm of Citrus Heights, CA. She is also survived by two step-daughters, Candice Panariello of Santa Clarita, CA, and Cynthia Combest of Citrus Heights, CA. She was blessed with 11 grandchildren, nieces, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, and additional extended family.  

There will be a memorial service for Joyce at the end of January 2023.

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