Joy was born on Friday, 31 January 1930 at the Crown Street Women’s Hospital, in Crown Street, Sydney, New South Wales, the third child and first daughter of John James (Jim) Anderson and Lylah Emily Maud nee Webb). Her older brothers were John and Erik. Sadly, her mother died when she was only seven years old. However, her father remarried Marjery Gerlach who took on raising Joy and her brothers. She had three further half-siblings, Margaret (Peggy), Murray and Christopher (Kit).

Joy grew up enjoying reading science fiction, and gained an avid interest in the genre. Through this interest, she met her husband, Graham Stone, whom she married on Saturday, 1 September 1956 on the same day as her half-sister, Peggy, who married David Howison. Unfortunately, Graham’s condescending attitude to her Christian faith did not allow the relationship to continue. They divorced in 1965 after a lengthy separation. She also befriended Lex Banning, who had separated from his wife, but it seems that relationship was more one of carer to Lex. Joy talked little of her personal relationships.

Joy had a house in Hazelbook. She rented out a room to a lesbian couple, but they took over the house, and Joy moved out. It is not clear what happened with Joy’s ownership of the house, but it seems she sold it to that couple. Joy stayed living in the Blue Mountains, a community which she loved dearly, having grown up in the family home, Yester Grange at Wentworth Falls.

Joy worked for the Australian Taxation Office for many years, and after retirement, was elected Councilleor of Blue Mountains City Council, the first, and to date, only female Mayor. She served on the Council from 1987 to 1995. In this respect, she followed in the footsteps of her step-mother, Marjery, the first female Blue Mountains City Councillor. For most of her adult life, Joy was a member of the Australian Labor Party.

When she retired from politics, she moved from the Blue Mountains to Newcastle. Joy was always of a slight build, frail in appearance, though she had a keen mind and a strong sense of community. However, age caught up with her and she died on Thursday, 5 November 2009 in Newcastle, New South Wales.

Bill Anderson

30 September 2021