Joy Eisenreich, a dental assistant in the School of Dental Medicine, died Aug. 26 at her home in Alton.

Funeral services were Monday at Gent Funeral Home in Alton.

Eisenreich, 41, joined the Dental School staff in 1988 but recently had been on part-time disability.

"Her folks were right when they named her Joy because she definitely was a joy to be around," Dental School Director Derek Forrester said. "She was very positive and wonderful person to be with. She was irreplaceable."

Before her death, co-workers and friends put together items to show Eisenreich how much she meant to them.

"It was a quilt that had her favorite colors, Snoopy prints that she liked so well. Everyone wrote on the back of it - little notes to her," Dental Assistant Glennita Clendenen said. "She wasn't able to see it before she died but her family thought very much of it. They really liked it."

Contributions may be made to the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Godfrey, the St. Louis Chapter of the Leukemia Society or the American Cancer Society.

~ From AlestleLive.com, SIUE

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I went to North Junior High School and Alton High with Joy. Her name described her to a "T." She was a complete Joy to be around. She liked everyone and everyone liked her. I remember running into her, not long before her death, at The Alton Sports Tap, where she'd gone to lunch with a bunch of Dental School friends (some really hot, cute young guys!) She was the life of the party, even at a work lunch, and seemed so happy! But it was so sad when she became sick, and even sadder when she passed away. We miss her and remember her with fondness. 

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