Joyce L. Eblen, 92
Published 10:49 am Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Joyce L. Eblen, 92 of Austin, died Saturday, July 16, 2011 at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.
Joyce Lucille Henley Eblen was born Nov. 7, 1918, at Nora Springs, Iowa, the daughter of Audley and Marie (Rucker) Henley. She graduated from Austin High School and worked as a secretary at the Wheeler Coal Company and also worked with her husband at the Austin Bowl. Joyce was married to B. Maurice Eblen on Dec. 31, 1938, in Austin. They were foster parents for 25 years and were very proud of all the kids.
Joyce was proud to be a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church where she was baptized and confirmed. She was a very active member and held a number of offices. For many years, she was chairman and worked on the annual Bazaar and Chicken and Biscuit dinner. She was a member of the Rebekah (Noble Grand) Lodge 4. Joyce was active in 4-H as a child and served as a leader as an adult. She was a member of the Child Care Auxiliary, the South River Street Extension Group and the Austin Garden Club, and she helped with many other civic activities.
Joyce was very creative and loved to knit, donating many baby hats to the local hospital and making Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls for all of her grandkids. She enjoyed her yard and flower garden and was proud that she kept it beautiful. She loved to travel with her husband and family in their motor home. They took the family on great trips to Montana and California. The grandkids loved to camp out in the motor home. Joyce was a wonderful caregiver to her husband “Morey” for many years. She loved to read and sew and to look out her window at her flowers and watch the birds in the backyard. She was always interested in helping the unfortunate and the world around her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Audley and Marie Henley; husband, Maurice, brother and sister-in-law, Don and Clara Henley; sister and brother-in-law, Laurine and Adolph Ludvigson and great-grandson, Derrick.
Joyce is survived by her children, Patricia (Chuck) Johnson of Cottage Grove, Minn., Lynda Howden (Ron Farrell) of Austin, Minn., and Gary (Stephanie) Eblen of Fair Oaks, Calif.; grandchildren, Lori, Lynn, Amy and Allison of Minnesota, Troy, Beth and Stephanie of California, Rhonda and Tracy of Colorado, David of Virginia and Cindy of Nebraska; great-grandchildren, Alaina, Jillene, Shawn, Dana, Hannah, Joey, Molly, Megan, Madlyn, Maysen, Kade, Peyton, Bailey, Regan, Alexandra, Morgan, Cullen, Camden, Savannah, Abigail, Joey and Grace; sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Frank Potter of Austin.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Marilee A. Benson officiating. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Casket bearers will be David Kraft, Shawn Carlson, Joey Racine, Kade Silbaugh, Matt Gilman and David Ostergaard.