LilMtnCbn
03-18-2004, 07:05 AM
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11136258&BRD=517&PAG=461&dept_id
=473182&rfi=6
Mother, daughter finally meet 38 years after delivery 03-17-2004
ESTHER GONZALEZ
Herald Staff Writer , From The Plainview Daily Herald
03/17/2004
A family has been reunited after 38 years in different worlds.
Diane Joyce, longtime Plainview resident, and her biological mother, Sue
Scarbrough met for the first time Tuesday night, the day before Diane´s 38th
birthday.
“Today is such a special day,” said Ms. Joyce, who was born in Colorado
Springs, Colo., and is the adopted daughter of Jane and the late James Berry.
It was a year ago that Ms. Joyce began the search for her biological mother.
Her parents had never hidden the fact that she was adopted and last year Mrs.
Berry pulled out a paper identifying Ms. Scarbrough as Ms. Joyce´s biological
mother.
After failed attempts at locating her mother through the adoption agencies in
Colorado, she sought help through an intermediary program in El Paso County.
Ms. Scarbrough had made a failed attempt to run a search of her own with the
Colorado adoption agencies eight years ago. She was told it would be easier for
her child to find her than for her to find her child.
“I turned it over to the Lord and knew it would happen when it was suppose to
happen,” said Ms. Scarbrough, who now resides in Atlanta, Ga.
Ms. Scarbrough became pregnant while attending college in Colorado. She thought
it best to give her child up for adoption and move forward in life.
At that time, mothers never saw their children before they were taken to be
cared for through foster and adoptive services. Ms. Scarbrough never even laid
eyes on her baby girl before doctors whisked her away to another room on March
16, 1966.
In July 1966, the Berrys adopted Diane and a new chapter began.
Mr. and Mrs. Berry had a son, Mike, six years older than Diane, and made the
decision to adopt when they thought they could no longer have more children of
their own. However, six years after the adoption, they had a girl, Karen, and
their family was complete.
Berry was a member of the armed services and the family traveled extensively.
They lived in Athens, Greece until Diane was 4 and then moved to Plainview, a
central location between her grandparents.
“They are an amazing family and they have always been loving and accepting of
who I am and what I do,” said Ms. Joyce.
Raised in Plainview, she moved away during her college years and later returned
to finish her degree at Wayland Baptist University. During that time she had a
child of her own, Guin Joyce, now a fourth grader at Highland. Ms. Joyce now
teaches math at Estacado Junior High.
In 1972, Ms. Scarbrough, now 58, finished her degree in home economics and
taught for eight years before working in sales at 3M for five years.
At that time she married and moved to Atlanta where she has been working as a
technical recruiter for 20 years. During her career she buried the knowledge of
her child and tried to make a life for herself. She had put it so far behind
her that she could no longer remember Ms. Joyce´s actual birthday.
“There is a whole lot of God in this,” said Ms. Joyce. “It´s just so
neat how God worked in both our lives.”
Ms. Scarbrough was not actively involved in the Christian faith until she had a
battle with breast cancer in 1993. In 2001 her husband, Bruce Boron, led her to
faith in Christ.
Boron was killed in a car accident after a mere 13 months of marriage, but it
was evident to Ms. Scarbrough and Ms. Joyce that he had fulfilled his purpose
in their lives.
“He led her to God and God led us to each other,” said Ms. Joyce.
Ms. Scarbrough´s largest worry when meeting her daughter was how she and her
adopted family would react. They had spoken on the phone and sent pictures
prior to meeting in person, but there was still a nervous anticipation.
“Jane is an angel who took care of her and raised her in a Christian home,”
said Ms. Scarbrough, who notes that as a mother, she could not have hoped for
more.
“This is the ultimate sacrifice that people often misunderstand,” said Ms.
Joyce, who applauds her mother´s courage throughout the years. “It is a huge
act of selflessness that people underestimate.”
This was reiterated by Ms. Scarbrough who notes how much more difficult it
would have been to let her daughter go had she been allowed to see and hold her
at the hospital 38 years ago.
“It was very emotional when we first talked, but I knew it was a chance to
heal. Her (Diane´s) attitude has ministered to me all along and her family is
treating me like a queen.”
With a 28-year-old daughter, Torri, in Atlanta who is adjusting to the reality
that she is no longer is an only child and that her two children now have an
aunt and cousin, both families look forward to many more meetings.
“Before we knew her we started calling her Mama Sue,” said Guin, while Ms.
Scarbrough notes her excitement about bringing her daughters together for the
first time. “She (Torri) has a wonderful loving spirit just like Diane.”
“I had been praying that God would expand my territory,” said Ms.
Scarbrough who has discovered more love and blessings in the world than she
ever thought possible and has not only filled a hole in her life but in her
daughter´s life.
In the meantime, the two, along with Guin, are exploring Plainview. They made a
journey to the Spudnut Shop, Estacado Junior High, antique shops and Trinity
Fellowship, where Ms. Joyce attends church.
There has been time to briefly meet with family and close friends. But most
important, it is the beginning of a powerful and happy relationship between a
mother and her daughter.
“There are so many pregnant teenagers in Plainview and I want them to know
that adoption is a great choice,” said Ms. Joyce. “It doesn´t mean the end
of a relationship. I am thankful for what my mother did and I have had a
wonderful life.”
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
=473182&rfi=6
Mother, daughter finally meet 38 years after delivery 03-17-2004
ESTHER GONZALEZ
Herald Staff Writer , From The Plainview Daily Herald
03/17/2004
A family has been reunited after 38 years in different worlds.
Diane Joyce, longtime Plainview resident, and her biological mother, Sue
Scarbrough met for the first time Tuesday night, the day before Diane´s 38th
birthday.
“Today is such a special day,” said Ms. Joyce, who was born in Colorado
Springs, Colo., and is the adopted daughter of Jane and the late James Berry.
It was a year ago that Ms. Joyce began the search for her biological mother.
Her parents had never hidden the fact that she was adopted and last year Mrs.
Berry pulled out a paper identifying Ms. Scarbrough as Ms. Joyce´s biological
mother.
After failed attempts at locating her mother through the adoption agencies in
Colorado, she sought help through an intermediary program in El Paso County.
Ms. Scarbrough had made a failed attempt to run a search of her own with the
Colorado adoption agencies eight years ago. She was told it would be easier for
her child to find her than for her to find her child.
“I turned it over to the Lord and knew it would happen when it was suppose to
happen,” said Ms. Scarbrough, who now resides in Atlanta, Ga.
Ms. Scarbrough became pregnant while attending college in Colorado. She thought
it best to give her child up for adoption and move forward in life.
At that time, mothers never saw their children before they were taken to be
cared for through foster and adoptive services. Ms. Scarbrough never even laid
eyes on her baby girl before doctors whisked her away to another room on March
16, 1966.
In July 1966, the Berrys adopted Diane and a new chapter began.
Mr. and Mrs. Berry had a son, Mike, six years older than Diane, and made the
decision to adopt when they thought they could no longer have more children of
their own. However, six years after the adoption, they had a girl, Karen, and
their family was complete.
Berry was a member of the armed services and the family traveled extensively.
They lived in Athens, Greece until Diane was 4 and then moved to Plainview, a
central location between her grandparents.
“They are an amazing family and they have always been loving and accepting of
who I am and what I do,” said Ms. Joyce.
Raised in Plainview, she moved away during her college years and later returned
to finish her degree at Wayland Baptist University. During that time she had a
child of her own, Guin Joyce, now a fourth grader at Highland. Ms. Joyce now
teaches math at Estacado Junior High.
In 1972, Ms. Scarbrough, now 58, finished her degree in home economics and
taught for eight years before working in sales at 3M for five years.
At that time she married and moved to Atlanta where she has been working as a
technical recruiter for 20 years. During her career she buried the knowledge of
her child and tried to make a life for herself. She had put it so far behind
her that she could no longer remember Ms. Joyce´s actual birthday.
“There is a whole lot of God in this,” said Ms. Joyce. “It´s just so
neat how God worked in both our lives.”
Ms. Scarbrough was not actively involved in the Christian faith until she had a
battle with breast cancer in 1993. In 2001 her husband, Bruce Boron, led her to
faith in Christ.
Boron was killed in a car accident after a mere 13 months of marriage, but it
was evident to Ms. Scarbrough and Ms. Joyce that he had fulfilled his purpose
in their lives.
“He led her to God and God led us to each other,” said Ms. Joyce.
Ms. Scarbrough´s largest worry when meeting her daughter was how she and her
adopted family would react. They had spoken on the phone and sent pictures
prior to meeting in person, but there was still a nervous anticipation.
“Jane is an angel who took care of her and raised her in a Christian home,”
said Ms. Scarbrough, who notes that as a mother, she could not have hoped for
more.
“This is the ultimate sacrifice that people often misunderstand,” said Ms.
Joyce, who applauds her mother´s courage throughout the years. “It is a huge
act of selflessness that people underestimate.”
This was reiterated by Ms. Scarbrough who notes how much more difficult it
would have been to let her daughter go had she been allowed to see and hold her
at the hospital 38 years ago.
“It was very emotional when we first talked, but I knew it was a chance to
heal. Her (Diane´s) attitude has ministered to me all along and her family is
treating me like a queen.”
With a 28-year-old daughter, Torri, in Atlanta who is adjusting to the reality
that she is no longer is an only child and that her two children now have an
aunt and cousin, both families look forward to many more meetings.
“Before we knew her we started calling her Mama Sue,” said Guin, while Ms.
Scarbrough notes her excitement about bringing her daughters together for the
first time. “She (Torri) has a wonderful loving spirit just like Diane.”
“I had been praying that God would expand my territory,” said Ms.
Scarbrough who has discovered more love and blessings in the world than she
ever thought possible and has not only filled a hole in her life but in her
daughter´s life.
In the meantime, the two, along with Guin, are exploring Plainview. They made a
journey to the Spudnut Shop, Estacado Junior High, antique shops and Trinity
Fellowship, where Ms. Joyce attends church.
There has been time to briefly meet with family and close friends. But most
important, it is the beginning of a powerful and happy relationship between a
mother and her daughter.
“There are so many pregnant teenagers in Plainview and I want them to know
that adoption is a great choice,” said Ms. Joyce. “It doesn´t mean the end
of a relationship. I am thankful for what my mother did and I have had a
wonderful life.”
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
