Joyce Van Deventer on the Home Front
Written by: Sara P., Holly G., and Becky S.
Born June 6, 1937, Joyce Van Deventer, who is currently 63, was a joyous child on the home front during World War II. I had the wonderful privilege of interviewing Ms.
Joyce VanDeventer on March 28, 2001 at the Horseheads Middle School, Horseheads, New York.
Joyce lived in Ovid Center for one and a half years. There her mom tended to her family along with her garden. Together Joyce's parents Edwin Eugene Van Deventer who
went by the name E. Eugene and her mother Charlotte had tow other boys. Their names were Edwin J. and Ronald S. These brothers were both older than Joyce. Joyce said her
family was not the richest, but her family was not the poorest either. She did not know any different than the way she was raised. Since Ovid Center was located out in the country
there were not many children to play with so Joyce would play with her dolls often. Playing with dolls often got bring so Joyce also stayed closet o her dog, Nellie.
Life during World War II was hard and bad for people because people that went into the war died at a young age and some people lived with bad memories because some of
their best friends died and their family died so they lived through a lot of things.
Mrs. Joyce VanDeventer said, “ that she was scared during the blackouts because when they did blackout drills that had a little nightlight on the floor that they kept on.” They
had this so they could see what they were doing.
During the war Joyce was only 5 to 8 years old. She doesn’t really remember whether the town went back to normal. Her and her family lived out in the middle of nowhere in the
Catskill Mountains. Because Joyce was so young there was never really anything that Joyce felt deprived of because she did not know anything different. Joyce was about 4 years
old when the bombing of Pearl Harbor happened but Joyce did not remember when or where she was when the war ended.
After the war ended, Joyce and her family moved to Ovid, New York. Joyce said she would always remember that happy feeling when she was safe at her new house with her
dog. To Joyce at the time, it seemed as though she did not have a care in the world!
Mrs. Joyce VanDeventer was a child living in New York during the war. When Joyce looks back at the war she doesn’t feel it changed her life that much because she
was a child. Joyce did not really believe that the dying of millions of people was worth it but she thinks that without the war we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Mrs. VanDeventer wants everyone to realize how many people gave up their tomorrows for our future. “Brave people gave up their tomorrows for our today.
Mrs. VanDeventer also wants us to know to always have faith in the lord and believe that he can get us through anything.
In a way, Mrs. VanDeventer feels sad that so many people had to give up their lives and that they are not here to talk about their experiences, but Mrs. VanDeventer is happy that
she is able to share her life and experiences with us!