Joyce Conley

JOYCE E. CONLEY

Cedar Rapids

Joyce Conley entered into eternal life on Aug. 24, 2017.

She was born Joyce Elaine Kinsman on June 1, 1929, in Stoughton, Mass. Her mother said, "We named her Joy because she came to teach

the meaning of her name."

Growing up in the Great Depression, Joyce knew what it was like to go hungry. This experience made her an avid advocate for outreach to others throughout her entire life. Joyce's beloved Gramps and Deedee gave her the priceless gift of unconditional love.

Joyce married John Thayer and was blessed with two sons, Bruce and Bryan. She then married Ellsworth Maxey and was blessed with three daughters, Edith, Elizabeth and Jane. She later married her high school sweetheart, Bill Conley, to the joy of her family.

A cradle Episcopalian, Joyce's church meant the world to her. She was a member of Christ Episcopal Church, and was blessed by her ministries of prayer chain, pastoral care and outreach. She was a recipient of the Distinguished Churchman's Cross. She was a faithful prayer warrior.

Joyce was blessed with the friendship of Ellen and Juergen Bruckner, Jim and Nancy Spencer, Carolyn and Francis McMann, Patty Robison, Jean and Eric Mote, Irene Livengood, Kate Hawkins, Mary Craven, Linda Rance, Louise Pickford, Betty Carlson, Mary Wallace, Sally Taylor and angel Imogene Kelly.

Joyce co-founded the Illinois organization of Mothers of Twins Club (MOTC) in 1962 before moving to Iowa and co-founded the IA MOTC state organization as well. She served as a national officer of NOMOTC. Joyce wrote a nationwide newsletter, Twin//Lines, for more than a decade.

Her readers sent her to the International Society for Twin Studies (ISFTS) in Rome to present a research paper. At the congress, Joyce was elected to serve as a vice president for ISFTS. While there, Joyce met Dr. Warner Kloepfer of Tulane University and developed a handprint/footprint instruction kit to assist him in getting handprints and footprints for his twin research. Fingerprinting for police records is quite different from handprints for research, which made it more challenging. Joyce was made a life member in the ISFTS.

Joyce was an involved and loving mother in her children's lives. She taught her children that God and family are the most important priorities in life.

Joyce had many "children of her heart" that she "adopted" with love throughout her life.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents; husbands, John Thayer, Ellsworth Maxey and Bill Conley; beloved son, Bryan Thayer; and sister, Audrey Daurie.

Joyce is survived by son, Bruce Thayer;

daughters, Edith (Erick) Kadlec, Elizabeth (Bruce)

Ray and Jane Maxey; daughters-of-the-heart, Marcia Thayer and Sue Thayer; sister, Joan Cook; nieces, nephews and cousins, including Darlene and Peter Dehman and Ray and Jewel Kinsman. Joyce also is

survived by eight grandchildren: Jenny (the Rev. Eric) Schumacher, Daniel (Jen) Thayer, Peter Thayer and girlfriend Courtney Smejdir, Michael (Mia) Thayer, Jeanna Kadlec, Johanna Kadlec, Colin (Emma Caster) Ray and Ian Ray; as well as 14 great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Christ Episcopal Church. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Inurnment will be private at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Please leave a message for the family on our the website www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Christ Episcopal Church, 220 40th St. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402, or Loaves & Fishes food pantry, c/o Christ Episcopal Church.

Joyce's favorite song was "Love Is Something If You Give It Away (You End Up Having More)." That was how she tried to live. She was an enthusiastic hugger. Joyce sends one last hug to all she loved!