Joyce Lynn Sidebottom Gaude, age 77, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.  Joyce was an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to so many people.  Because of her upbringing as the daughter of an itinerant oil and gas engineer, Joyce had the ability to see so many parts of the United States and some international locations - she attended over 20 schools through the eighth grade alone.  But she was with her Mom, Dad, and little brother Larry, and benefitted greatly from all she was able to experience.

Joyce continued her traveling ways when she met her husband Don in Louisiana.  They were married in 1968, and Don's career as an Army helicopter pilot again took Joyce to different parts of the country, with a more military flavor.  Along the way, Joyce served in many different roles as the wife of any Army officer, always supporting Don.  Additionally, Joyce managed to graduate from Texas Tech University in 1969 in Fine Arts, and more importantly, shared the joy of bringing her two children with Don into the world - Brian and Amy.

When Don retired from the Army in 1982, their family settled in Hammond, Louisiana - in the years after, Joyce also added Mobile, Alabama to her list of many homesteads.  In 2006, Don and Joyce realized a lifelong dream and relocated to their wonderful ranch house in D'Hanis, Texas, where they were able to spend the next decade entertaining family and making new friends in a small Texas town.  They finally moved to Pensacola in 2017, where they were able to spend time in their cozy home in East Hill.

Along her many stops, Joyce wore lots of hats - in addition to being an in-demand wife, mother and grandmother, she was a regular practitioner in gardening (greenest thumb ever!), sewing, art, and British TV shows.  In her last years, Joyce was most importantly an amazing caretaker to Don, always providing for him and giving him the solace that he needed as he struggled with dementia.

Joyce was preceded in death by her mother and father, Betty and Otis Sidebottom.  She is survived by her loving husband, Major Lyman E. "Don" Gaude, Jr., Retired, US Army; her brother, Larry Sidebottom; her children, LtCol Brian W. Gaude, Retired, USAF (Darcy) of Bossier City, Louisiana, and Amy Nelson (Kevin) of Pensacola, Florida; and her six amazing grandchildren - Christian Gaude, Joshua Gaude, Ashleigh Gaude, Jacob Nelson, Caleb Nelson, and Ava Nelson.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00am on Friday, January 28, 2022 at Barrancas National Cemetery, those wishing to attend the service are asked to meet at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel at 9:15am to line up for police procession to the cemetery, departing at 9:30am.

A memorial mass will be held to honor Joyce Lynn Sidebottom Gaude's life at 1:00pm Friday, January 28, 2022 at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart with Fr. James Valenzuela, celebrant.