Joyce Clift

Joyce Elizabeth Handrahan Gale Clift

November 15, 1941 ~ December 29, 2014

Joyce Elizabeth Handrahan Gale Clift peacefully passed away in her sleep on December 29, 2014 in Long Beach, WA.

She was born on November 15, 1941 in Somerville, MA to John Handrahan and Marion Goldstein. At the age of seven, her mother passed away in Ogden, UT and Joyce lived for the next four years in the Kearns-St. Ann Orphanage in Salt Lake City, UT with her two younger siblings.

Her father married Lillian Bradshaw when Joyce was twelve and their combined family eventually expanded to include eight children.

In 1959, she graduated from Davis High School in Kayesville, UT and married Dennis Gale of Kayesville, UT that same year. They went on to have four children before they divorced in 1988.

In 1992 she married Raymond Clift of Gresham, OR and they eventually retired to Long Beach, WA where they resided until her death. Joyce lived her entire adult life in the state of Washington.

In addition to her responsibilities as a wife and mother, she worked as a waitress, cashier in a grocery store, and secretary for the Skamania County Parks and Recreation Department for over a decade.

She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in various capacities in the Church over the years. During the last few years of her life she was incapacitated due to multiple strokes and her husband Ray took loving care of her with the assistance of dedicated home care providers.

Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, her older sister Mary who died at birth, and her younger brother John Handrahan.

She is survived by her husband, Raymond Clift; her children Andrew Gale (JoAnna) of Newtown, CT; Marlene Engel (Michael) of Carson, WA; Mark Gale of Seattle, WA; and Kent Gale (Marla) of North Pole, AK; 18 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and siblings Gail Rasmussen (Wendell) of Salina, UT; Steven Handrahan of Vista, CA; David Handrahan (Gayle) of South Jordan, UT; George Handrahan (Diane) of Kayesville, UT; Patrick Handrahan (Pamla) of Syracuse, UT; and Margaret Handrahan of Ogden, UT.

Viewings will be held from 6 to 8 pm on Friday, January 9th and from 12:30-1:30pm on Saturday, January 10th, followed by a funeral service at 2 pm. The viewings and funeral service will take place at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd., Ogden, UT.

Immediately following the funeral service, internment will take place at the Ogden City Cemetary.