Obituary of Joy Elizabeth Aasen

Joyzell Elizabeth Aasen of Portland died peacefully at home in North Portland on Saturday, August 15, 2020, surrounded by family.  She was 60.

A private family celebration will take place in September.  A Celebration of Life is being planned for April 2021 when the world should be in a better place to assemble and reflect the many wonderful influences of Joy.   

Joy was born in Redding, CA, on April 16, 1960, the fourth of four children of Oscar and Dorothy Williams.  Joy moved with her family to Tigard, OR in 1972, graduated with honors from Tigard High School in 1978; and started college that same year at Southern Oregon State College in Ashland, OR.  She began her career in the hospitality/restaurant business in Tigard, OR.

Joy married Donald Aasen on February 16, 1980 in Vancouver, Wa. They lived in Tigard and Joy gave birth to Isaac Dean Aasen later that same year.  Two other children followed: Elizabeth J Aasen in 1981 and Jacob Oscar Aasen in 1984.  Joy and Donald also participated in raising Donald Aasen III. and love-adopted daughter Shannon Malloy.  While being the primary caretaker of her young children, Joy and Donald also cared for his mother, Tomiko Hyada-Aasen. Joy was mentor and matriarch for many friends of her children as they grew up.

Joy’s longest and favorite job in life was in Accounts Payable at Columbia Machine in Vancouver, where she was an adored colleague and friend.  Her tenure and speed moving through piles of invoices and checks wore the numbers off her keyboard.

Joy believed she needed to live her life to be an example of her name. She had and shared many joys with family and friends.  She loved Maui, Hawaii, from the time of her first trip there with her parents for her high school graduation.  Many stays followed for family graduations, anniversaries, and other occasion to escape the mainland.  Her final and favorite trip to Maui was in February 2020 for the celebration of the 40th anniversary of her marriage to Donald.  She loved everything Hawaiian and was active in a performing Hula group. She loved sports (especially football); a close second to her love of Christmas. Mostly, she loved family, family, family.

Joy is survived by her husband, Donald Aasen; her mother, Dorothy Williams; by her sisters, Marsha Hansen, and Sandy Foster, her brother, Guy Williams; by her children Isaac, Elizabeth, and Jacob, Donald III., and Shannon; and by her nine grandchildren: Noah Anthony Aasen, Dean Daijeah Aasen, Sahara Virginia Aasen, Mae’Lani Mieko Aasen, Cheyenne Nicole Aasen, Alliyah Halai Aasen, Isaiah Elijah Aasen, Kira Meiko Aasen, Jaxon Lucas Aasen.

For those who would like to honor Joy’s memory with a gift, her family would suggest donations to Joy's GoFundMe page. The family would like to thank everyone who has already donated. 

From Joy's daughter, Elizabeth, on behalf of her family: "The support that has been received through this journey, has been unbelievable, and we couldn't have done it without each and every person who reached out, visited, showed love and support. We will spend forever in gratitude for the abundance of love my mom was shown. We could never thank everyone in this lifetime."