Joye Kugler Bitts passed away April 29, 2006.

Joye was born in Seattle, Nov. 27, 1914 to August and Florence Kugler.

She was the youngest of three; her brother Bob and sister Louise preceded her in death.

Joye was talented in every way. She was very athletic and swam across Lake Washington at 14 years of age. Joye was a marvelous dancer and entertainer and appeared in all of her high school and college productions. She attended Franklin High School and then went on to the University of Washington to study and earn her nursing degree.

Joye cruised to Hawaii to begin her nursing career at Hilo Hospital on the Big Island of Hawaii. She had started a wonderful life in paradise when her father passed away and she returned to the mainland.

While back in Seattle, Joye met and married her lifelong love, Max Bitts. Putting her nursing career aside, Joye immediately began her life as wife, homemaker and mother.

Early in their marriage, Joye bundled up her first born, Anthony, and traveled to Yakatat, Alaska to be with Max at his military post. She resided in a canvas tent and set up housekeeping until one day Tony nearly froze to death so she headed back to Seattle to wait for Max.

Joye had six more children and spent the next 30 years raising them. She was a gentle yet firm mother and gave her family her all. A woman always involved in church and school activities, Joye volunteered everywhere she was needed. From flower arrangements for church socials, to caring for every child in the neighborhood, Joye was driven.

Joye and Max hosted many “race day” parties when they lived above Lake Washington overlooking the hyrdoplane pits. In 1959 the family needed a bigger home, so they moved to Capitol Hill. In 1958 the family began spending summer vacations in a small cabin on Columbia Beach and soon bought a summer home on Bells Beach. In 1966, Joye and Max purchased the property and home that is now Seahorse Siesta in Langley. They moved in permanently when Max retired in 1985.

Joye and Max ran a family bed and breakfast, known as Strawbridge Inn, for a few years when Max was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Max preceded Joye in death in 1998.

Joye, lovingly known as the “rock lady” in some circles, spent endless hours strolling Whidbey’s beaches only to return home loaded down with pockets full of rocks and other beach treasures. The yard around the magnificent home that Joye and Max owned in Saratoga Passage was strewn with unusual driftwood in shapes resembling everything from horses to dinosaurs. Her imagination was unbridled and came out so joyously in her nature collections around her.

Joye was preceded in death by her son Anthony. She is survived by her children Todd Bitts, Maryanne Csizmazia (Joe), Patrick Bitts (Debbie), Gabrielle Bitts (Jim Scullin), Emily Schmidt (Terry) and Mark Bitts (Lisa).

She is survived by 14 grandchildren: Michael, Matthew, Kimberly, Craig, Shawn, Kim, Patrick, Eric, Michael, Troy, Rebecca, Erin, Zach and Abram; and also six great-grandchildren. Joye will be dearly missed by all of her family.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Careage of Whidbey for the excellent, loving care Joye received over the past 2 ½ years. A celebration of Joye’s life will be scheduled for a future date when the family can all come together.