Celebrating nine decades

KateLynn Slaamot
NLJ Reporter
 
One of the best gifts in life is family, but few of us live long enough to see several generations of our family be born, grow up and have families of their own. 
Joyce Sylte, who just celebrated
her 90th birthday at a party on April 23, is one of those fortunate enough to see her family grow through several generations, and she treasures decades of memories they’ve made in Weston County. 
Joyce was born in Newcastle on April 12, 1932, to Ben and Myrtle Strickling. She grew up in Osage, near the Osage oil field, attending school there from first grade through eighth grade. Once she reached high school age, she attended Newcastle High School. 
As a child growing up in Osage, Joyce said, she spent her time doing a number of things. She and her older brother, Benny, did lots of things together, such as milking their father’s dairy cows. 
The Strickling family delivered their milk to customers, and they had to wash the delivery bottles after they were used. Joyce remembers that in one of their barns, they had a large boiler to boil and sterilize the bottles. 
Other animals that made an appearance at the Strickling home were horses, including a pony that belonged to Joyce’s younger brother, Delbert. The pony, whose name was Peanuts, received lots of love from the Strickling children, and Joyce said she enjoyed riding the pony, along with other horses they owned. 
“My cousin, Leona Carr, and her brother, Fred Carr, used to come to visit us; they lived on a ranch. And we had an ice house, and we used to play in the sawdust. That was always fun,” Joyce said, with a laugh. 
The family owned several chickens too, she said, and every Sunday they would butcher one and have fried chicken. 
Joyce’s childhood was much different from that of children today. She remembers a time when she didn’t have indoor plumbing or a telephone. When they did get a telephone, it was a party line, which meant that others on the same line could listen to their conversations. 
“Sometimes, somebody else would be listening — we could usually tell — and that wasn’t much fun when somebody was listening,” Joyce said, laughing again. 
As a young child during World War II, Joyce remembers, a lot of the adults in her life talked about the war. But some things aren’t quite comprehended by young minds, she said. 
“I can remember my parents … and relatives talking about it, and I really couldn’t quite feature what the war was all about,” she said. 
After graduating from Newcastle High School in 1950, Joyce went on to Loretto Heights University in Denver, where she majored in secretarial science. Joyce said she quickly became good friends with her roommates. 
However, at first, she found Denver overwhelming for a young woman on her own, she said, especially in a new place she was not familiar with. 
“My brother and this other guy were going to Tulsa (Oklahoma) … and they were on their way, so they took me to Denver, dropped me off at the school. I didn’t know a soul, and I had two roommates, and it doesn’t take long to get acquainted,” Joyce said. 
When Joyce went home during school holidays, she took the bus, and it always dropped her off at Mule Creek Junction, where her parents picked her up. One time, however, the bus dropped her off at Edgemont instead, while her parents still waited for her at Mule Creek Junction. 
“That was a nightmare, but I did get home,” Joyce said. 
After Joyce completed her schooling in Denver, she took a job in the office of a pipeline company in Newcastle as a secretary. That’s where she met her husband, Lyle, who also worked there, in 1951 or 1952. The two were married on July 18, 1953, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. 
Together, the couple had five children — David, Mark, Deb, Tom and Dan. The family enjoyed doing all sorts of things together, such as fishing and traveling to sports events because all five kids were avid sports players. Deb Sylte said they got their athletic ability from their mom, who loved running track in grade school. 
Every Sunday, they drove to Osage to have Sunday dinner with Joyce’s parents, and her mother still made her signature fried chicken. Deb said that it was the “best food ever.”
Being able to stay home with her kids is something Joyce is very thankful for, she said. Lyle worked as a CPA while Joyce was a full-time homemaker. Lyle and Joyce were married for 68 years before he passed away in October of 2021.  
Joyce believes the secret to long life is keeping busy, eating right, staying active and not smoking or drinking. She also credits her lifelong faith for her blessings in life. 
However, perhaps another reason for her longevity is her love of chocolate. Joyce spent a semester at the University of Denver in a home economics class, where she learned a recipe for chocolate pie that she turned into her famous chocolate pudding recipe. 
“It’s the best stuff you’ve ever had,” Deb said. “She taught me how to like chocolate, because she’s a ‘chocoholic.’”  
While Joyce expressed gratitude that she has been able to be with her family for so long, perhaps it’s those around her who are the most blessed by her warm presence. Deb said she is very grateful to still have her mom around because she’s her best friend. 
“She’s probably the … kindest person that you’ll ever meet. If we have company, my mom will get a chair for you, even at 90,” Deb said. 
Emotion was evident on Deb’s face as she described her mother, and the special place she has in her heart. 
“She thinks of everyone ahead of herself.  … She’s the sweetest … (I) couldn’t ask for a better mom,” Deb added, with tears in her eyes. 
Mark said that his mom is a pretty tough lady. She got really sick a few years ago but has since recovered her strength and gets around well, he said. He noted that his mother is always patient and raised her kids well. 
“It is a blessing to have a 90-year-old mother because many people aren’t fortunate to have their parents that long,” David said. 
Tom said that Joyce is “the ultimate mother” because she has always been loving, yet also strict. 
The impact Joyce has had on others even extends down to her many grandchildren, as they’ve grown up with a loving grandmother. 
Jake Sylte has many fond memories of his grandmother, such as her combing his hair for school pictures and golfing with her and his cousins at 7 a.m.
Joyce is a genuine and strong woman, according to grandson Ryan Sylte, and “she always has a smile on her face.” 
“People will always tell you that they have the ‘best grandma in the world,’ but as cliché as it sounds, Grandma Sylte truly is the world’s best. She’s one of the kindest human beings that I have ever met. In fact, I don’t think I have ever heard her say a mean word about anyone. She has always been there for me ever since I can remember. She was my chauffeur up until the time I could drive, always willing to take me wherever I needed to go.  … I am beyond blessed to have such an incredible grandmother in my life, one who will call me just to say ‘hello’ and let me know that she is thinking about and missing me,” Trey Sylte said. 
And you can be sure, according to her loved ones, that you’ll never leave Joyce Sylte’s house without being offered a cookie or some kind of baked goodie, because she always wants people to feel welcome and have a full belly.