Joyce Humble

JOYCE ELLEN HUMBLE

Cedar Rapids

Joyce Ellen Humble, 77, of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at St. Ludmila Catholic Church with Father Kenneth Glaser presiding. A private burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, at Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre in Cedar Rapids, located at 2121 Bowling St. SW.

Joyce was born June 5, 1939, in Iowa City, the daughter of John S. and Mildred Kehrer. She grew up in Cedar Rapids, graduating from Franklin High School before attending the University of Iowa. While attending the university, she met her husband, Norman Humble, on a blind date, which started a love affair of 55-plus years. They were united in marriage Feb. 11, 1961.

Surviving are four children and nine grandchildren: son, Clark (Patty) and children, Ryan and Colin of Atlanta, Ga., son, Steve and children, William, Peter and Nicholas of Richmond, Va., son, Jason (Carmen) and children, Norman and Elia of Cedar Rapids, and daughter, Sarah Curtis (John) and children, Emma and Jack of Winchester, Tenn.; her sister, Judy Blank (Arlen) Cedar Rapids; and her brother, Steve (Sue) Kehrer of Crossville, Tenn.

Joyce enjoyed working with clay as a wheel potter before her accident and hand building pottery afterward. Raising her children on an acreage, gardening was a necessity, as well as an enjoyment. Moving into town, her hands continued to get "dirty" working with flowers both in and outdoors. She was very creative at making crafts and volunteered at Mercy Medical Center, making crafts for the gift shop to give to patients. Her home was generally decorated with crafts as each of the four seasons came about.

Family was her life. She was a great cook and prepared many holiday meals interspersed with just good cooking throughout the year. At holiday times and after the dishes were done, she announced it was time for Royal Rummy and Mexican Train. She played bridge many years with her parents, husband and sister, Judy.

Her physical struggles were many, but her spirit overcame them in order to live a full life as a wife, mother, companion and grandmother devoted to her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Memorials may be sent to the Norm and Joyce Humble Endowed Scholarship at Kirkwood Community College or to St. Ludmila Catholic Church.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com.

The family wishes to thank UnityPoint at Home Home Care and the ICU unit, Mercy Medical Center, for their loving care of Joyce.