Joyce Marie Harms

Joyce Marie Harms died Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at UCHealth in Aurora, CO, at the age of 67. 

            Joyce was born on February 15, 1950 in Holyoke, CO, to Chester “Chet” Conrad Harms & Edith Marie Biesemeier Harms, and was their only child.  Shortly after her parents were married, her dad, was drafted into the Army and took his basic training at Pasa Robles, CA.  Her mom also went to CA, but Chet was shipped directly to Germany in December, 1944, and took part in the final months of WWII, including the Battle of the Bulge, while Edith waited anxiously at home. 

            Following her dad’s return home in 1946, Chet & Edith lived & farmed south of Paoli.  Then in 1957, the three of them moved to Phoenix, AZ, where Joyce grew up attending Glendale schools and church while her mom became the head pastry decorator at a prominent local bakery and her dad worked in water well maintenance throughout the Phoenix area. 

            After high school, Joyce started working in a plus-size women’s clothing store called Lady Mardens in the Maryvale Shopping Center.  She was 18 years old at that time, became Assistant Manager that same year and made life-long friends with co-workers.  A few years later, she completed a Fashion Merchandising program in 1971.  Joyce went on to work at the Valley West Mall branch store for several years before she moved to another store, Catherine’s, in the Metro Center.  There she enjoyed her position as District Manager and the opportunity to travel to other branch stores in Tucson, Albuquerque, and Las Vegas.  Joyce was also an excellent cook and enjoyed entertaining the many family members and friends who came to Phoenix to visit & escape cold winter weather.   In the 1990’s Joyce quit working to focus on some serious health issues and to be more of a caregiver for her parents.

            Because of the declining health of Edith & Chet, Joyce moved them to Holyoke in June 2001, and her parents became residents of the nursing home.  Joyce returned to Phoenix to pack up and move the family’s possessions to her new home on Emerson Street in Holyoke in October of 2002.  Edith, passed away in 2002 and Chet in 2006.  Joyce took wonderful care of her parents and spent many hours almost daily volunteering in the nursing home.

            Joyce belonged to FCE and the Women’s Fellowship since moving to Holyoke and Epsilon Sigma Alpha throughout much of her life.  She was also an active member of Hope Baptist Church in Phoenix, and later the First Christian Church in Holyoke where she rarely missed Sunday classes and services. 

            Joyce was preceded in death by her parents.  Her family surviving her includes her uncle, Quentin "Bud" Biesemeier of Haxtun; aunt, JoAnn & husband Larry Deremo of Dove Creek; and cousins, Ken & wife Lynette Harms of Paoli; Nancy & husband Rob Dee of Haxtun; Lyle & wife Ginny Craig Deremo of Durango; Connie & husband Don Reutter of Worland, WY; Rick & wife Linda Deremo of Dove Creek; Brian & wife Lori Biesemeier of Sedgwick; and Kathy & husband Byron Maine of Greeley.

            Funeral services for Joyce Marie Harms were held Monday, October 16, 2017, at the First Christian Church of Holyoke, with Pastor Merle Powell officiating.  Interment was at the Haxtun Cemetery at 12:30 pm.  Memorial contributions in Joyce’s honor should be made to the First Christian Church in Holyoke, CO.  The arrangements were handled by Baucke Funeral Home.

PALLBEARERS:  Ken Harms, Robert Dee, Lyle Deremo, Gus Harms, Brandon Biesemeier, Bob DeBoer and Hank Hassler

HONORARY PALLBEARERS:  Nancy Dee, Connie Reutter, Kathy Maine, Rick Deremo, and Brian Biesemeier