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In memory of
Dr. Joylin Char Anderson-Calhoun
November 11, 1974 - July 11, 2018
Nov 11, 1974 - Jul 11, 2018
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Joylin's obituary
Joylin, the meaning of her name:
Benevolent. Brilliant. Courageous. Creative. Determined. Dependable. Honest. Inspirational. Leader. Joyful.
The fall of 1974 would forever change the lives of Joyce and Vincent Anderson and their oldest daughter Maija. Monday, November 11th was a cool, crisp and pleasant day in Lansing, Michigan. It was a day filled with happiness and anticipation as Vincent and Joyce sped along the US 27 highway from St Johns, Michigan to Lansing heading to the Sparrow Hospital for the long awaited arrival of baby Anderson. Although they pinned their hopes on a boy, mom and dad couldn’t have been happier when they welcomed Joylin into the family.
Joy, as she was affectionately known, grew up in St. Johns and Fenton, Michigan with her older sister Maija and 3 brothers. She was a quiet child, delightful, obedient, her mom says she never talked back. Joy liked reading and loved writing stories. She had a thirst for knowledge. Joy wasn’t just smart, she was brilliant graduating from the James Allen Caldwell Private Baptist World of Learning as the valedictorian of her class at the age of 15.
It was during her time at JAC that she may have learned her most valuable life lesson. She came to understand that people may be different from you but different doesn’t mean better – it simply means different. It was an experience and a priceless lesson that carried her throughout her life.
While Joy loved her brothers, Dale, Donald and Ronald, there was something special about the relationship with her sister Maija. From the very beginning Maija was there. She was always there, her sister’s biggest cheerleader. Maija and Joy were fiercely protective of the other. Just 17 months apart, they enjoyed a special bond. They were confidants, counselors and encouragers to the other. Maija knew that if something was missing from her closet; shoes, purses, a skirt, even a wig it would likely be found in Joy’s possession. For them, sharing meant caring.
Joylin was just 16 years old when she met her future husband Kendall. He remembers it like it was yesterday seeing her walk across the Quad on the campus of Tennessee State University. In his words – “I was immediately smitten.” They married in 1995 and to their union three sons were born. Malik, Malcolm and Matthew. Joy was proud of her children and nurtured them to be capable of taking care of themselves. She considered that her greatest accomplishment.
At a young age, Joy knew she wanted to be a nurse. It was a profession encouraged by her mother. She graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse at the age of 18 from the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing. Later, she completed her Bachelors and Masters of Nursing degrees at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan and her Doctorate of Nursing from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Dr. Pamela Jeffries, a renowned nursing leader in the area of Simulations, served as her advisor. This training/mentorship proved to be invaluable as she utilized what she learned to support Simulations wherever she taught. Nursing wasn’t just a profession for Joy, it was who she was; caring, nurturing and empathetic. She taught students in Illinois at Saint Xavier University and in Baltimore at Sojourner-Douglass College. A huge supporter of her sister, she was also instrumental in assisting her in Simulations for the successful reaccreditation site visit for the Master of Science (Nursing) at Morgan State University in Baltimore MD. She was so invested in improving outcomes in populations underrepresented in Nursing, that she served happily in her role as an “unpaid consultant” in supporting her sister’s drive to improve outcomes in the undergraduate Nursing program at Morgan State University. Her support was crucial in the undergraduate program improving their NCLEX-RN first time pass rates and in achieving Initial Accreditation this year. Wherever she went, she gave her all to her students and they respected and loved their Dr. J. She so trusted her students and the skills she taught them that it brought her great comfort when several of them cared for her in those final days of her hospitalization. Her last days were spent at home, being cared for by her family.
When Joy was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2014, it left her and everyone who knew and loved her reeling. She was too young. She looked too healthy. She had three teenage sons and a husband to love. Parents who supported and cherished her. A sister who needed her. She was in the prime of her life. What was GOD up to? While the answers are still unclear, Joy wrote in a December 2016 Facebook post that cancer taught her some valuable lessons.
Among the many she listed, a few stood out. She learned to be patient. She realized that she couldn’t fix everything and that was okay. She accepted that you can't protect your children from everything. Joy came to understand that cancer doesn’t just happen to the person, it happens to everyone who loves them. She recognized that compassion is key and everyone has to find their own peace. She reaffirmed her belief that when you ask GOD to order your steps, He will!
She concluded her message with these words:
Malik. Malcolm. Matthew. Live. Laugh. Love. Pray. Believe.
During her final days Joylin was comforted by the family, friends and colleagues who visited with her. Still making jokes and giving direction she found her peace in the midst of the storm.
Joylin is survived by her husband Kendall and three sons; Malik, Malcom and Matthew. Her step-daughter, Paige Calhoun and grand-son Jaxson Conner. Her parents, Drs. Vincent and Joyce Anderson, her sister, Dr. Maija Anderson-Connolly (Jack), and 3 brothers Ronald (Jennifer), Dale and Donald. Nieces, Devon Leigh Anderson-Neal and Sawyer, Nephew Simon and god-daughter Parkyr Guiton. A host of aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, nursing students and colleagues also mourn her passing.
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Memories & condolences
I'm so sorry for the loss of Joylin. I pray that her boys and the family are all well. I'll always think of her and the…
I'm so sorry for the loss of Joylin. I pray that her boys and the family are all well. I'll always …
I'm so sorry for the loss of Joylin. I pray that her boys and th…
My Joy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li8Ld8KWTbA I'll rise again! Death can't keep me in the ground!
My Joy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li8Ld8KWTbA I'll rise again! Death can't keep me in th…
My Joy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li8Ld8KWTbA I'll ris…
Strong, brilliant, confident, beautiful, that is how I remember you. Your presence as you entered the classroom was big…
Strong, brilliant, confident, beautiful, that is how I remember you. Your presence as you entered t…
Strong, brilliant, confident, beautiful, that is how I remember …
I was director of the program where Joylin earned her DNP. I remember very well her hard work, her loving family and th…
I was director of the program where Joylin earned her DNP. I remember very well her hard work, her …
I was director of the program where Joylin earned her DNP. I rem…
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Maija Anderson.
