Joyce LaPorte

Joyce was born Joyce Elaine Nichols in Huntington, Indiana on December 19, 1947 to parents Ethel Mae (Poehler) and Kenneth G. Nichols. She graduated from Huntington High School in 1965. She went on to study Fashion Merchandising at the Patricia Stevens School of Fashion Merchandising in Chicago, earning her certificate in 1966.

She married her first husband, Ronald L. Smith, on August 20, 1966 in Huntington, Indiana. Joyce and Ron went on to have two children, Ryan and Nichole, both born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. After several moves for Ron’s engineering career, they settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1981. Joyce was a stay-at-home mom while also running a home-based custom stained glass business until Joyce and Ron’s divorce in 1986. After dating for several years, Joyce married Wayne LaPorte on June 2, 2007.

Joyce was the Parent Involvement Coordinator for Community Partnership for Child Development/Head Start and remained there for 30 years. Her compassion and desire for the well-being of children made a lasting impact on the families she served, working tirelessly to ensure their needs were taken care of, thereby helping to alleviate burdens and ensure a positive environment and future for the children. She was a dynamic, ethical, and inspirational leader, and she was looked up to by her coworkers and peers for her ability to connect with people from all walks of life and lead by example.

In addition to her role at CPCD, she owned and operated a jewelry business called jSevåg, and was known for her beautiful and creative designs with glass beads and Swarovski crystals. For several years she spent her free time designing and selling her highly coveted custom jewelry and attending art and jewelry shows with the devoted help of her husband, Wayne.

Joyce was predeceased by her parents, Ethel Mae and Kenneth Nichols. She is survived by her sister, Jean Ann (Bruce) Benedict; children, Ryan (Marla) Smith, Nichole (David) Anderson, Stephen (Judy) LaPorte, Aimee (Tommy) Clark, Janell Simpson, Eric (Victoria) LaPorte; eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Services will be held on July 6, 2022 at Swan Law Funeral Home, 501 N. Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903 at 10:00 am, followed by a reception. The family requests donations be made to Rocky Mountain Kids, a non-profit organization and foster home that helps children and teens from abused and neglected homes:

Rocky Mountain Kids, 2210 E. Lasalle Street #112, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909

http://www.rockymountainkidscs.com/Ways-To-Give.html