Before the 10 a.m. Sunday AMSOIL GNCC motorbike race at Ironman Raceway, all activity stopped to honor the life of Joy Shaver who passed away Tuesday morning after a battle with esophageal cancer.

Race director, Tim Cotter, who considers the Shaver family as his own after working many years at the Ironman, wanted to honor his friend and he wanted to include the GNCC family. 

Cotter called all female GNCC riders to the start line along with any women who were cancer survivors. When assembled, he had all pause for a moment of remembrance and silence. Joy’s nickname has been Duck for many years and everyone associated with the Shaver family would use the nickname for the grand lady of Ironman.

“We wanted to honor Duck for what she has meant to GNCC and for the great woman she was,” Cotter said. “The Shaver family has meant so much to GNCC racing and Duck has always been a great supporter of what the family has done. I consider the Tom Shaver family as my own and Duck was a big part of all of this. She loved everybody and everybody loved her.”

During the remembrance Cotter announced that Sunday would not be called the Ironman, but rather for one day, the event would carry the name Ironwoman in honor of Joy. 

The tribute proved to be a fitting ceremony for Joy, who was a mainstay at the track and who was always considered a perfect hostess. 

Joy was laid to rest Friday morning at Oak Hill North Cemetery in a private family ceremony. Her obituary can be found in today’s edition of the Journal Review on page 2A.

 Memorial contributions can be made to in the name of Joy Shaver to the Purdue All American Marching Band, 403 W. Wood St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 or the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation, P.O. Box 821, Manalapan, NJ 07726.

Online condolences may be left at www.huntandson.com.