Obituary: Stearns, Joyce Bernyce
Age 90
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert S. Stearns.
Left to reminisce and remember her are her daughter, Cindy; son Mark; grandsons Michael (Ayay), Robert (Amy), Matthew, Christian and David; great-grandchildren, Kailee, Mark, McKenzie, Jasmine, Jade and Jacob; sisters, Jolene and LaVonne and numerous nieces and nephews.
Of Norwegian descent, baby Joyce and her parents, Merle and Melvin Brandvold, moved to Grandpa Johnson’s farm in Erhard, Minnesota.
She lived her early childhood there and used to tell the story of how her own father walked her to school on his shoulders, fearing the petite blond would get lost in a snowdrift.
From the age of eight, Joyce was raised in Cutbank, Montana.
Upon her graduation from Cutbank High School, she worked her way through secretarial school in Minneapolis, and then lived much of her life in Southern California.
In July 2010, Joyce moved to Spokane to be near her daughter and other family loved ones in the Pacific Northwest.
She lived at Orchard Crest Retirement Community, where she enjoyed many friends and activities, especially her twice-weekly games of bridge.
Joyce was a practical, forthright Christian woman who did not bury her talents in the ground, but brought forth increase and shared with others.
Of the many gifts she gave, the best of all was her lovely example of a life well lived.
A memorial service will be held at Orchard Crest on August 9 at 2:00pm; presided over by Doctor Jeff Crosno, Senior Pastor of Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene.
Joyce will later be interred next to her husband at the Riverside National Cemetery in California.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in her name may be given to Doctors Without Borders at 333 7th.
Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001-5004.