Joyce Schmunk

Joyce Schmunk, 76, of Scottsbluff, passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 3, 2017 at 2:00 PM in her home. A visitation will be held from 2-5 PM on Sunday, January 8, 2017 at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM on Monday, January 9, 2017 at Emmanuel Congregational Church in Scottsbluff with Pastor Garry Schick officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the church where Joyce was a lifelong member. Tributes of sympathy may be left at www.dugankramer.com.

Joyce was born on October 11, 1940 in Gering to Henry Jr. and Mildred (Zeiler) Rein, being the oldest of two children; baptized as an infant. She attended various elementary schools throughout the Gering Valley. Her name is in the corner stone of the last built Gering Valley School as part of the first eighth grade class there. She graduated from Gering High School with the class of 1958.

Joyce was united in marriage to Paul Schmunk at the Emmanuel Congregational Church on 4th Ave in Scottsbluff on November 30, 1958. They began their farming career early in life.

Joyce worked for Nash Finch Company for two years, then for the three Deans of Hiram Scott College. Later she worked for the House of Weddings in Scottsbluff and finally at the Scotts Bluff County Weed Control for 15 years as bookkeeper and office manager, retiring at age 68.

Joyce pursued many hobbies – photography, painting, flower and vegetable gardening. She was an accomplished seamstress and a wonderful cook. Joyce worked beside Paul farming many hundreds of acres of sugar beets, beans and corn. She loved to feed cattle and have a little fun if time permitted, taking short weekend trips to Denver, Lincoln and the Black Hills with her yellow Dodge convertible.

Joyce was a member of the Rolling Oldies Car Club, the Mary Martha Circle of Emmanuel Congregational Church and Scotts Bluff County Council of Homemakers Clubs. She taught Sunday School, VBS, worked with other church members on the dinner theatres and was co-chairman of the bake sale held at Gering Bakery which profited many thousands of dollars to the treasury for the building fund for the new church – 1977.

Joyce is survived by husband Paul of Scottsbluff, son Tim (Debi) of Queen Creek, AZ, daughter Julie of Scottsbluff, grandsons Nathaniel (Cylie) Wyatt of Duvall, WA, Kyle Schmunk of Scottdale, AZ and Shawn Reinecker of Phoenix, AZ, granddaughter Vanessa Wyatt of Aurora, CO, a great-grandson due in February, brother Jack (Gloria) Rein, sisters-in-law Dorothy Neill and Naomi Schmunk, many nieces, nephews, and extended family. She also had the love of Riley the yellow lab and Belle the calico cat.

She was preceded in death by her paternal and maternal grandparents, parents, parents-in-law and brother-in-law Bob Schmunk.

Joyce’s family extends special thanks to CNA Brenda Wynne and the hospice of Regional West for their support and care.