It was a diverse group of friends. “There are friends from horsing around, some jewelry making friends and some just wonderful pals,” said Maureen. “I’m so happy that so many gathered together to give me this wonderful send-off. We won’t say goodbye, because they’re all invited to come east to visit. If they all come together, we’ll just have to camp out. It’s happened before.” 

 

     Maria responded with the offer of her guest house. Saying, you know the gate code, please come back and visit whenever you can.” The Joyces and Maria have a lot in common, as Ed Joyce broke the Ted Kennedy Chappaquiddick drowning story for CBS News. And when Maria was a young child, her mother, Rosemary Clooney, took her to the Ambassador Hotel and they were in the kitchen when Bobby Kennedy was shot.    

 

     Ed refers to the jewelry friends as the “Beadettes.” Nancy Crawford, Sue Pohls and Maria Murdock are included. Nancy was wearing a beautiful and unusual necklace with long thin solid silver beads in the design. Some of her beaded jewelry is on display in a museum in Hawaii. 

 

     Bo Derek is one of Maureen’s longtime pals and Bo is one of the heroes of the movement in America to ban the slaughter of horses. “The Commerce Committee recently approved S-311, the Horse Slaughter Bill,” she told me. “The bill will now go to the Senate and will surely pass. Only Illinois is not on board yet.”

     Other friends attending included: Helen Kennedy, Nicole Forsythe, Victoria Elliott, Inge Plier, Tina Pankau, Kerry Perez, Sherrie Scheller and Dottie Spencer. 

 

     Nicole Forsythe said, “It’s a sad day in our beautiful Valley when an adorable, amusing original like Maureen Joyce moves to the east coast with her [husband] Ed. But Sue, Claire and Maria gave Maureen the delicious send off she deserves. We’ll miss her so much.”

 

     Claire remarked, “The Joyces contributed so much to this Valley. It is truly a loss for us all.” At one point, the party turned into a gentle roast, as people shared humorous stories about Maureen, who has her feisty moments. “You never have to wonder about what Maureen thinks, on any subject,” joked Sue.

 

     The guest of honor was presented with a grand luxe boating picnic basket with fancy silverware and accoutrements. The Joyces have purchased a new home on a lake in Connecticut and now have entered the boating society. Maureen was also presented with a framed card signed by the guests and actor-John Forsythe sent a photo from his Dynasty days with a loving inscription.

 

     Every guest left the party having enjoyed a superb meal, an afternoon of friendship and laughter and their own personal vase of flowers.