Joyce Sherwin celebrates 93rd birthday by parasailing
Joyce Sherwin, right, marked her 93rd birthday with a parasailing excursion. (Courtesy photo)
You may know Joyce Sherwin from the time she conducted the Downey Symphony Orchestra in the Overture to The Music Man, or as the efficient lady in the lobby at the Downey Theatre making sure all goes well for the Downey Symphony's concerts.
Longer ago she was the home room mother who worked full-time but also brought those delicious cupcakes. But there's more to Joyce than that.
Born in land-locked Iowa, in Mason City, the hometown of Meredith Wilson who wrote that musical comedy with the 76 trombones, Joyce has a special affinity for the Pacific Ocean. She has parasailed five times, twice in Maui, twice in Moorea in Tahiti, once in Catalina.
"The first time I went parasailing," said Joyce, "was on Maui after a fellow tourist said she had just done it and 'It was so gentle.' Well that sounded terrific, and it really takes no heroics nor lust for adventure to parasail - it is quiet, the eyes love the spaciousness of the sea viewed so close, and it is so joyous. And they land you back in the boat, so you never even get your feet wet."
Heroic disclaimer or not, Joyce is an inspiration to the elder crowd. Just do it.
So to celebrate her 93rd birthday, Joyce did it again last week. What keeps Joyce so young?
"I've been singing since I was two," she said.
Maybe music keeps her young. And maybe it's because she always has a song in her heart.
Joyce Sherwin, right, marked her 93rd birthday with a parasailing excursion. (Courtesy photo)
In the words of her daughter Pinkie Sales, who arranged the outing and shared the twin harness with her, it happened like this:
“To celebrate Grand-Mum (Old Mum, Auntie, or just Mum)'s birthday, we went parasailing today!
“This was Mum's sixth time. We went to the Balboa Peninsula Fun Zone in Newport Beach. It was a beautiful day. Clear and sunny. Calm seas. Brown pelicans. Yup. Just wonderful.
“Btw, we think this might be a yearly thing, so keep June 5th 2022 open! You're invited!
“Here are some photos for you to enjoy! (That's Joyce on the right.)”