LA MOILLE - Joyce Marie (Smith) Walker, 83, of LaMoille passed into the arms of Jesus on April 23, 2017 at her home.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 29 at First Congregational Church of LaMoille with Pastor Karl Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the family plot at Union Cemetery, LaMoille. Pall bearers will be her grandsons, Matthew Walker, Brian Sledgister, Jerime Kelly, Chris Leffelman, Brian Stehle, Brandon Fowkes, Ryan Wright and Tyler Gainer. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 28 at the church.

Joyce was born Nov. 4, 1934 in Buda to Roy and Dorothy (Pease) Smith. She married Alan J. “Scoot” Walker on July 3, 1954 at the First Congregational Church of Dover parsonage. He preceded her in death on May 21, 2013.

Survivors include one son, Pete (Jan) Walker of LaMoille; two daughters, Kathy (Jay) Lynch of Anchorage, Alaska and Wendy (Jessie) Edington of Ladd; nine grandchildren, Melissa (Jerime) Kelly of Amboy, Matthew Walker of LaMoille, Megan (Chris) Leffelman of LaMoille, Kimberly (O.T.) Sledgister of Anchorage, Alaska, Kelly (Brian) Sledgister-Stehle of Rockaway, N.J., Brian Sledgister of Anchorage, Alaska, Julia (Brandon) Fowkes of Carpentersville, Elizabeth (Ryan) Wright of Springfield, Mo. and Jenna Edington of Ladd; 10 great-grandchildren; one brother, Walter Smith of Kewanee; one sister, Betty Frampton of LaMoille; and one sister-in-law, Janice Minkler of LaMoille.

She was preceded in death by one sister, Myrtle Nelson.

Joyce and Scoot were proud of their children and enjoyed their growing family. Joyce’s pride and joy were her grandchildren and she also treasured her great-grandchildren. She was so happy to have her entire family together for the first time in 24 years at Christmas 2016. She was a very faithful, active member of the First Congregational Church of LaMoille where she served many years as a Sunday school teacher and was in the Ladies Social Circle. Her relationship with Christ was known by all as she was often heard encouraging others by asking, “Have you prayed about it?” She was a pillar of strength for many people and loved by all who knew her. She will be sadly missed yet joyfully remembered by family and friends. ß