
Watervliet- Joy Elizabeth Yepez, 2, a beautiful and delightful little girl of Watervliet, died peacefully with her loving family by her side Saturday, September 18, 2021, at Albany Medical Center Hospital in Albany, following a long illness.
Born in Albany, October 1, 2018, Joy was the amazing and beloved daughter of Marduk H. and Joanna E. (Hardick) Yepez and the little sister of Elijah M. Yepez of Watervliet.
In her short life, Joy overcame many obstacles and validated her doctors’ and therapists’ work, by learning to strengthen her abilities. Joy could also recognize colors (especially her favorite color pink), watch her favorite show (My Little Pony) and spend time with her brother having tea parties, coloring and other crafts. Joy loved to communicate with others with her voice, facial expressions, smile and beautiful eyes. She was a fighter with an incredible inner strength and touched the hearts of all who knew her. She had many friends who encouraged her and followed her progress on her face book page. Joy loved to be outside and was always looking out the window for the stimulus the views afforded her. She had absolutely beautiful, curly and dark hair. She loved her books, musical instruments, stuffed animals, My Little Pony figures, many other toys, picking out her favorite bow for the day that matched her outfit, and spending time with her big brother, Elijah, Mom and Dad.
In addition to her mom, dad, and brother, Joy is survived by her maternal grandparents, Onetia Hardick of Watervliet and John and Lori Hardick of Pittstown, paternal grandparents, Jaime Yepez of Columbia, South America, and Helga Yepez of Queens, NY, aunts and uncles, Shawn Hardick, Danielle Duke, Brianna Solimini, Jisela Arroyo, Evelyn Yepez, Jaime (Jimmy) Yepez, Alkiver Yepez, and Jonathan Yepez, two great aunts, Marica Hardick and Carol Hardick, and many friends in the health care community.
Relatives and friends are invited to “wear a splash of pink in honor of Joy” and call on Thursday, September 23, 2021, from 4:00 -7:00 p.m. at the Howard B. Tate & Son Funeral Home Inc., 2237 New York Route 7, located in Raymertown. A private funeral service and burial at Eagle Mills Cemetery in Brunswick will be held at the convenience of the family. At the request of the family, and out of concern for the health of their friends, face masks will be required to be worn by all guests and visitors when inside the funeral home.
Memorial contributions to hopefully assist others in their time of need, in lieu of flowers, may be made to either The Ronald McDonald House, 139 South Lake Avenue, Albany, NY 12208, or to Make-A-Wish Foundation, 3 Washington Square, Albany, NY 12205, in memory of Joy Elizabeth Yepez.
The Yepez family would like to extend a warm and heartfelt thank you to Joy’s incredible therapists, Dacia, Heather and Peter; nurses and doctors and therapists from Albany Medical Center, Blythedale, and Montefiore Medical Center for all the love, support, and compassion shown to Joy along with all of her family when under their care.
Born in Albany, October 1, 2018, Joy was the amazing and beloved daughter of Marduk H. and Joanna E. (Hardick) Yepez and the little sister of Elijah M. Yepez of Watervliet.
In her short life, Joy overcame many obstacles and validated her doctors’ and therapists’ work, by learning to strengthen her abilities. Joy could also recognize colors (especially her favorite color pink), watch her favorite show (My Little Pony) and spend time with her brother having tea parties, coloring and other crafts. Joy loved to communicate with others with her voice, facial expressions, smile and beautiful eyes. She was a fighter with an incredible inner strength and touched the hearts of all who knew her. She had many friends who encouraged her and followed her progress on her face book page. Joy loved to be outside and was always looking out the window for the stimulus the views afforded her. She had absolutely beautiful, curly and dark hair. She loved her books, musical instruments, stuffed animals, My Little Pony figures, many other toys, picking out her favorite bow for the day that matched her outfit, and spending time with her big brother, Elijah, Mom and Dad.
In addition to her mom, dad, and brother, Joy is survived by her maternal grandparents, Onetia Hardick of Watervliet and John and Lori Hardick of Pittstown, paternal grandparents, Jaime Yepez of Columbia, South America, and Helga Yepez of Queens, NY, aunts and uncles, Shawn Hardick, Danielle Duke, Brianna Solimini, Jisela Arroyo, Evelyn Yepez, Jaime (Jimmy) Yepez, Alkiver Yepez, and Jonathan Yepez, two great aunts, Marica Hardick and Carol Hardick, and many friends in the health care community.
Relatives and friends are invited to “wear a splash of pink in honor of Joy” and call on Thursday, September 23, 2021, from 4:00 -7:00 p.m. at the Howard B. Tate & Son Funeral Home Inc., 2237 New York Route 7, located in Raymertown. A private funeral service and burial at Eagle Mills Cemetery in Brunswick will be held at the convenience of the family. At the request of the family, and out of concern for the health of their friends, face masks will be required to be worn by all guests and visitors when inside the funeral home.
Memorial contributions to hopefully assist others in their time of need, in lieu of flowers, may be made to either The Ronald McDonald House, 139 South Lake Avenue, Albany, NY 12208, or to Make-A-Wish Foundation, 3 Washington Square, Albany, NY 12205, in memory of Joy Elizabeth Yepez.
The Yepez family would like to extend a warm and heartfelt thank you to Joy’s incredible therapists, Dacia, Heather and Peter; nurses and doctors and therapists from Albany Medical Center, Blythedale, and Montefiore Medical Center for all the love, support, and compassion shown to Joy along with all of her family when under their care.