Joy Celeste Mantell

Joy Celeste VanMatre Mantell passed into the waiting arms of her Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, November 19, 2021. Joy was born to Lloyd VanMatre and Grace Cridlebaugh on January 18, 1936 the next to youngest of 7 siblings. Joy was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado while her father was gone starting a church in southeastern Colorado. The family moved around quite a bit following the Lord’s leading as Lloyd evangelized and started churches, usually small and in the home of a new believer. His work did not provide for a lot of worldly comforts and Joy remembered her mama making a home where her daddy would take them; railroad car, on the Indian reservation, a barn, anywhere was home by the time mama had cleaned it good, made some curtains and started bread baking in the oven.

When Joy was just eight years old she and her brother Gene were playing on a piece of farm equipment on one of their older siblings farms in Eastern Colorado. No telling exactly how it happened but Joy slipped off the seat of the tractor and while trying to climb back up the power take of was turned on. Joy’s leg was wrapped around the equipment, busted and bleeding. Over 120 miles away was Children’s Hospital in Denver. Joy was said to have told her very frightened mother when they got to the hospital that she just needed to pray. Joy had busted places in both legs and her pelvis, but the worst damage was to her left foot and ankle which were only attached by a bit of skin and tendon. She went through several surgeries and at one point her parents were told to not expect very much, that she would probably not live the week and if she did she would never walk. But she did walk, and she went to school and she danced, oh how she loved to dance. Mostly the jitterbug and mostly with the love of her life Ralph “Bud” Mantell who she married when she was just 16 and he was 20. Joy’s mama had also told her that she could never have children. Born to this couple, who thought they wouldn’t have kids were; April (Ben) Nichols of Mesa, Colorado, Randy Allen Mantell (deceased), Debbie Axtell (Kim Cooper) of Grand Junction and Patty (Kelly) Simpson of Grand Junction. Maybe not born to Joy and Bud, but just as much their daughter was Doris “Dodi” Pesak.

Joy and Bud lived their younger married life in California where dear friends and family made life one of laughter and love. Bud left to see his Lord in February of 2008. In the following years Joy moved in with Patty and Kelly whose home is always open to the dozens of kids, grand kids, great grandkids and great-great grandkids who loved to see their Nana as Joy loved being called. Joy was a woman of prayer who showered her family with God’s love, her love and laughter.

She was preceded in death by her Parents Lloyd and Grace VanMatre, siblings Ethel Musser, Robert VanMatre, Elma Lockard, Elta Crone, Gene VanMatre and Helen Woodley. Son Randy Mantell, Grandsons Daniel Cruse and William Black IV.

Cremation has already occurred, a celebration of Joy’s life will be held in January 2022 at Clifton Christian Church in Clifton, Colorado.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.callahan-edfast.com for the Mantell family.