Alta Joyce (Amos) Cogburn

October 15,1946 - April 4,2023

Alta Joyce (Amos) Cogburn passed away unexpectedly Tuesday morning, April 4th, 2023 in her residence in Hudson Oaks, Texas. She was born in the Dublin Hospital, Dublin, Texas to Ransom Amos and Just Thelma (Vaulthier) Amos. She was the third oldest child and the only daughter. Her older brothers, Joe Donald Amos and William Troy Amos, preceded her in death. Her remaining sibling and younger brother Ransom Edgar (Ed or Eddie) Amos resides in Granbury, Texas with his wife Jackie.

Joyce was married three times. Her first marriage was to Charles Thurman Cogburn, an USAF veteran. They were blessed with their and Joyce's only child, J. Kay Cogburn, who now resides in Hudson Oaks, Texas. Charles, second husband Kenneth J Darrell Harbour, a native of Comanche, and third husband Jim Perkins of Irving, Texas, all preceded her in death. Joyce was blessed with two beautiful grandchildren, Jordan Elliott Escobar, 35, of Comanche and Katherine Elizabeth Escobar, 34, of Lacey, Washington.

As a young girl, she attended the United Pentecostal Church for a number of years with her paternal grandmother, Minnie Amos. Also, during this time, she became a member The Campfire Girls which she thoroughly enjoyed.

In the mid-1950s, she contracted Scoliosis, a form of Polio, which resulted in a curvature of her spinal column. Numerous operations and rehabilitation at the Scottish Rites Children Hospital in Dallas over a three year period were very difficult times for a young girl. Being bedridden with a full body cast twice for months ta time at home in a rented hospital bed, Joyce persevered in her school studies, welcoming teachers and classmates to her bedside that allowed her to maintain an A+ average.

In her first marriage to Charles Cogburn, they purchased a portable roller-skating rink and proceeded to tour small towns throughout Texas, beginning with Comanche. The rink was a tremendous success here and many other small towns: Gustine; Hamilton; Deleon; Gordon; Chico; and others. By the age of two, their daughter, Kay, was an accomplished skater for her very young age.

Tragedy struck in November of 1965 when Charles was a passenger in a car driven by another man. They attempted to pass another car in dense fog and collided head-on with a large truck between Waxahachie and Ennis.

There were no survivors. The skating rink was sold shortly afterwards.

Years later, Joyce and J Darrell Harbour were married and established a small farm/ranch just northwest of Comanche. They divorced in 1973 but stayed together for two more years, finally separating for good in 1975.

Joyce then moved to Irving, Texas and began a career at Hitachi Corporation of America, eventually becoming the Executive Assistant and Secretary to the Chief Operating Officer. Then in 1980, she met and married Jim Perkins, a Ryder/P.I.E. dispatcher. The marriage lasted four years. After retiring from Hitachi, Joyce settled in Hudson Oaks, where she was living at the time of her death.

She will be mourned by those who loved her and knew her kind and loving nature. Those would include her daughter, Kay, and her children, Jordan and Katherine (Katie), her nieces and nephews beginning with her oldest brother's children, Donna Jean Amos of Mesquite, Larry Joe Amos of Gustine, Troy Jack Amos and Janet Amos and Jenny Lou Amos of

Comanche. then Troy's daughter, Priss Ray of Weatherford and Ed's children, Kathleen (Katie) Gharrib and Colt Amos of Rochester, Minnesota. Her decades-long friendships with her Hitachi fellow employees and confidants, Candy Baker of Irving, Texas and Rosanne Nasir of Los Angeles,

California. Lastly, her enduring and affectionate relationship with her former in-laws, Phil and Martie Cogburn, who were there for her during trying times.

Joyce may now rest in peace and without pain…

Graveside memorial service will be at Oakwood Cemetery, North section, G5 Anthony Avenue on June 3rd at 10:00 a.m.

Dress: summer casual.