Joyce Lefebvre passed away peacefully on Holy Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Born to John and Margaret (Hillemeier) Welsh on September 11, 1939 in Sanborn Minnesota, Joyce Elizabeth Welsh was the eighth of 10 children. Over the years, her name changed. To many she was Joyce. To some, she was Aunt Joyce. To four, she was Mom. To most, she was simply,“Grandma”. Most of her childhood was spent in Catholic schools and helping her hard working parents on the farm after her family relocated to Lewistown, Montana, where she met and married the love of her life, Roger Lefebvre. Roger was from Vermont, but was serving in the Air Force and stationed in Lewistown, MT. A dance at the base brought them together and within a year, their love and marriage started the family of Roger and Joyce Lefebvre. They relocated to Burlington, VT, where Peter, Jackie, and David were born. Soon, the family moved again to their forever home in Kansas City, Mo, where the youngest child, Rita, was born. Joyce worked tirelessly at home to raise her family while Roger provided with income, but he was always there to help Joyce with the house and children as well. Joyce did work for the Liberty License Bureau for many years as her children got older, but her primary life’s work was certainly the morals and values of her Catholic faith that she instilled upon her family with her love and example of how she lived her life every day. Her will and strength of body, mind, and soul will be remembered by her entire family.
Joyce is survived by 3 siblings: John (Joan) Welsh of Goodyear, AZ, Daniel Welsh of Great Falls, MT, and Karen (Donald) Lefebvre of Swanton, VT. She is survived by 4 children: Peter Lefebvre of Gallup NM, Jackie (Glenn) Whiston of Kansas City, MO, David (Laurie) Lefebvre of Spring Hill, KS, and Rita (Shannon) Gordon of Kansas City, MO. Joyce is also survived by 20 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, John and Margaret Welsh; sisters; Kathleen Wichman, Lucille Wichman, Margaret Mary Reese, Patricia Quiroz, Judith Welsh; brother; Dennis Welsh; and her husband of 52 years, Roger Lefebvre.
Visitation services will be held Tuesday April 9th at 9:00am, a Rosary at 10:00am with the Catholic Funeral Mass at 10:30am at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, 6415 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone, MO 64119. A luncheon will follow immediately after mass for family and close friends at Our Lady of Mercy Country Home, Tighe Hall, 2115 Maturana Dr, Liberty, MO 64068. If you would like to make donations, please donate to St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church and School.
