Losure, Joyce (1928-2015)

LOSURE, POPP, GILLETT, SCHAEFFER, DUUS, JOHNSON, MARTTILA

Posted By: Colleen J Ossman (email)
Date: 4/12/2015 at 07:21:59

Iowafuneralplanning.com

A celebration of life gathering will be held for Joyce Losure on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm at Ballard Creek Community Assisted Living, 908 N US highway 69 in Huxley, Iowa; and a memorial service will be held on Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 pm also at Ballard Creek Community Assisted Living in Huxley. Joyce passed away April 4, 2015 at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, Iowa, after suffering a major heart attack the day before. She passed away peacefully with family members present. She was 86.

Daughter of Asa and Nellie (Gillett) Popp, Joyce was born September 21, 1928 in Batavia, NY. She grew up mostly in Sac City, Iowa, and graduated from Sac City High School. Joyce’s father was a preacher which meant during her childhood she and her family lived in several places including New York, South Dakota and Iowa. Joyce met Robert “Bob” Losure as his family attended the Sac City church where Asa was pastor, and they were wed on December 24, 1947 in Sac City, IA, with Asa officiating. For nine years they lived on and farmed rental ground near his father’s farm north of Lake View, Iowa, before settling on a farm they purchased about five miles south of Blairsburg, Iowa, to raise their family and tend their pig farming operation. Before her marriage, Joyce had taught in one room country schools while Bob served in the Marines. After her children were grown she completed her undergraduate education at Iowa State University and a masters degree in educational psychology at the University of Northern Iowa and then worked for Iowa State University and the Nevada, Iowa, police department before retiring.

A long time member of the United Church of Christ in Blairsburg where she played piano and organ, co founder of People United for Rural Education, member of Webster City Community Theater, published poet, avid cook, and full time wife and mother, Joyce had many passions and interests through which she made and maintained deep and lasting friendships. She loved travel and adventure and she and Bob took road trips to the east and west coasts with their children to keep in touch with relatives, and also took the boys on several lengthy canoe trips deep into canoe country along and north of the Canadian border. An annual event the whole family looked forward to was a Mother’s day trip down the creek running the length of the farm pasture in a home made canoe fashioned of 55 gallon barrels halved lengthwise and connected by two by fours that served as gunwales. This adventure was accompanied by much hilarity and often involved a thorough dunking in the river.

She is survived by her husband Bob and children, David Losure and his wife Mary Schaeffer-Losure of Kamrar IA, Donald Losure and his wife Mary of St. Paul MN, and Walt Losure and his wife Karen Duus of Henderson NV, as well as her brother Harold Popp and his wife Vicki of Bloomington IN, and sister Carol Johnson and her husband Paul of Wakefield RI. She is also survived by her grandson, David Losure and his wife Heidi Marttila-Losure of Frederick SD, grandson Michael Losure of Pasadena CA, and great grandchildren Sofia and Erik Losure of Frederick SD.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents and brother Clair.

The day prior to her death Joyce received a special treat and her last request was to be sure that Bob got the remainder of those kringla!