Joyce Glenna Novak, 14 Jul 1933 – 29 Oct 2013

NOVAK, LACHER, RATHJEN, NUNEMAKER, ANDERSON, NICKELL, BETZER, SELLS, MATHER, FELLER, SCHAFBUCH

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 11/7/2013 at 13:08:13

Joyce Novak, 80

Joyce G. Novak, 80, Marion, formerly of Springville, Cedar Rapids and Marengo, died at her home Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. An informal gathering of family and friends was held at the Marion YMCA on Friday, Nov. 1. Per her wishes, there was no visitation or memorial.

Iowa Cremation was in charge of arrangements and her cremains will be sprinkled in Iowa County at a later date.

Condolences may be left at www.iowacremation.com.

Joyce Glenna Novak was born July 14, 1933, the daughter of Glen Earnest and Lelia Rathjen Lacher, on her father’s birthday. She attended Sumner Number Seven rural school and graduated from Marengo High School in 1951.

She worked at Collins Radio before marrying Eugene Novak July 25, 1953, at the Chelsea Methodist Church. They were later divorced.

After being a housewife until her children were raised, she worked at Sears for 28 years in receiving and display. She was a member of Kenwood Park United Methodist Women, attended Marion Methodist and spent many hours at the Marion YMCA.

Novak is survived by four daughters, Deborah Novak and Delores Nunemaker, both Springville; Dawnita (Rob) Anderson, Central City, and Dorilyn (Mike) Nickell, Atkins; six grandchildren, Jennifer Nunemaker (Darrell) Betzer, Central City; Jay (Brittany) Nunemaker, Cedar Rapids; Jill Nunemaker (Eric) Sells, Marengo; Julie Nunemaker, Springville; Brent (Brooke) Anderson, Minnesota, and Drew (Taylor) Nickell, Cedar Rapids; two great-granddaughters, Annadee and Jayelee Betzer; great-grandson, Michael Anderson; her ex-husband, Eugene Novak; cousins, JoAnne Lacher Mather, Marengo; Russ Lacher, South English, and Sharlee Rathjen Feller, Ladora, and several step-aunts and cousins.

She was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Ted Nunemaker Jr.; her mother, in 1941, of TB, and her father, in 1956, of a heart attack, and her grandparents, John and Martha (Schafbuch) Rathjen and Mary (Jacobs) Lacher.

The Williamsburg Journal Tribune, Iowa County Obituaries, 07 Nov 2013
Published in The Gazette Oct. 30, 2013.