Joy Nelson Hulme

Originally from Cottonwood, Utah
Dec. 6, 1922 – Dec. 21, 2019

Award-winning children’s book author and poet, and resident of Monte Sereno, California, Joy N Hulme passed away peacefully at the age of 97, after spending her last few days with her two surviving children and other family and friends. Her sharp wit will be missed by all who knew her.

Joy was born and reared in Cottonwood, Utah, a descendant of numerous Utah Pioneers. Despite growing up during the Great Depression, she cherished fond memories of her childhood. She was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served faithfully in a variety of teaching and leadership positions wherever she has lived.

In 1993 Joy was honored as Alumna of the Year at Utah State University, from which she had earned a degree in English and graduated as Valedictorian in the Spring of 1944, shortly after her marriage to Melvin J Hulme. They lived in Biloxi, Mississippi during his World War II training in the US Navy, and for a while in his hometown of Bloomington, Idaho, where she taught school. After the war they moved to California where he earned an MBA from University of California Berkeley. As he pursued a career in management with the Bank of America, they raised their family in various locations throughout California, eventually moving to Los Gatos and thence to Monte Sereno.

Wherever they lived, Joy was devoted to continuing education, enrolling in night classes to learn woodworking and artistic crafts and attending classes at the local community college. While her children were still at home she worked as a manager of newspaper carriers and ran a floral business from her home, always involving her children in her enterprises. The home in Monte Sereno, where she lived for the last 57 years of her life, was designed by Joy and built to her specifications, and the landscaping of the grounds was her pride and joy.

Meanwhile, she pursued a career in writing. She loved to compose rhyming verses, both to amuse and to teach young children about nature and mathematics; she also researched and wrote a number of historical works for youth. Of nearly 90 books she wrote during her lifetime, more than a fourth of them were accepted for general publication.

Joy is survived by brothers Tom (Nadine) Nelson and Fred (Diane) Nelson, sister Gay Blanchard, sister-in-law Audrey Nelson, by a son John (Lorraine) Hulme, daughter Peggy (Craig) McClanahan, daughter-in-law Brenda (Andy) Wilde, and by 23 grandchildren and 56 great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were husband Melvin Hulme, brothers Ted and Rene Nelson, sons David and Doug Hulme, daughter Kathy Stephens, granddaughter Amalie McClanahan and great-grandson Thomas Stephens.

Following services in California on January 3, local funeral services will be held at 11:00am Monday, January 6, 2020 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5165 S Highland Dr (2080E), Holladay, with a viewing for family and friends from 5-7pm Sunday evening at Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary, 4760 State St, Murray, Utah, and at the church on Monday from 10:00-10:45 a.m. Interment will be at Elysian Gardens, 1075 East 4580 South, Millcreek, Utah.