Joyce Rehfeld

4/8/1930 — 9/1/2016

• Service Date: 9/19/2016
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April 8, 1930 - Sept. 1, 2016

Joyce Rehfeld, a resident of Royal Plaza in Lewiston, died peacefully Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Tri-State Memorial Hospital in Clarkston. Joyce was born April 8, 1930, in Liberty, Ind., to Mary and Louis Breen. She graduated from Short High School in Liberty in 1948 and graduated from Marian College in Indianapolis in 1952 with a degree in education. Joyce taught grade school in Connersville, Ind., and Missoula, Mont.

While attending Marian College, Joyce met a young serviceman, Bob Rehfeld, at a dance in Cincinnati. Bob was in the U.S. Army stationed at Camp Atterbury, Ind. Bob introduced himself to Joyce Breen and asked her to dance. While conversing and hoping to meet again, Joyce indicated she would only date Catholic boys. Bob convinced her he was not only Catholic but an altar server as well by reciting the Confiteor in Latin.

Bob and Joyce married on July 18, 1953, in Liberty, and headed west for their lifelong adventure with the U.S. Forest Service. As a Forest Service spouse, Joyce accompanied her husband to assignments in Thompson Falls and Seeley Lake, Mont.; Orofino; Custer, S.D.; Ketchikan and Juneau, Alaska; Grangeville; and Duluth, Minn. Joyce and Bob raised five children and made friends across the country. Following Bob's retirement in 1982, they moved to Clarkston and remained active with the Forest Service retiree group, holding many reunions and volunteering at the Lochsa Historic Ranger Station in Idaho.

Joyce and Bob's love of the people and the prairie drew them back to Grangeville in 1991. They built a home and enjoyed many friendships in the community. Joyce was an Indiana farm girl and was an accomplished gardener and cook. She grew beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruit trees. Canning and preserving what they grew and harvested was something she enjoyed. She also loved the woods and was an avid birder. Joyce enjoyed berry picking, camping and exploring the backcountry of Idaho and Montana.

Joyce and Bob lived in Grangeville until 2013, when they moved to Royal Plaza in Lewiston. They were lovers for 62 years. Bob passed away on Jan. 16, 2016. Joyce missed her boyfriend every day and has gone to join him.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; brother-in-law Frank Casper; and parents Mary and Louis Breen.

Joyce is survived by her sister, Suzanne Casper; and brother Daniel and wife Julie Breen; her son, Bob and his wife, Karen, of Juneau, Alaska; son Denis and wife Carrie of Grangeville; daughter Marcy and husband Jim Colyer of Poulsbo, Wash.; son Kurt of Juneau, Alaska; and daughter Teresa and husband Craig Trulock of Medford, Ore. Joyce is also survived by grandsons Otto (wife Johanna) Rehfeld, Jon Colyer, John (wife Jennifer Lewis) Rehfeld, Connor and Hunter Trulock; and granddaughters Hilary (husband Adrian) Padilla, Mary (husband David) Berry, Gretchen Rehfeld, Margaret Rehfeld, Caelan Colyer, Gerta Rehfeld and Reagan Colyer; and great-grandchildren Caroline and Evan Padilla and Ephriam, Damian and Avery Rehfeld; and numerous other relatives and friends.

A rosary and funeral Mass for Joyce will be said at 10 a.m. Sept. 19 at St. Frances Xavier Catholic Church in Missoula, Mont., and Joyce and Bob will be interred at St. Mary's Cemetery following the Mass. The family may be contacted through Marcy Colyer at 1648 N.W. Nassau Court, Poulsbo, WA 98370.

Service Information

Date & Time

Monday, September 19, 10:00 AM

Location

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church
420 W Pine Street
Missoula, Montana 59802

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