Joyce Libby, 76, of Lewis, died Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa.
Joyce Marie (Wright) Libby was born in Cass County, Iowa on May 23, 1947, to John and Elnora (Rexroat) Wright. Southwest Iowa, mainly Lewis and Atlantic, was her home for most of her life. She was the second youngest of five children, and the only girl. Her brothers, Kenny, Roger, Dennis and Ernie are to blame for her becoming a tom-boy. After she graduated from school in Atlantic, Joyce moved to Council Bluffs for a short time where she worked at Cresky’s Restaurant, where she met and later married Bill Libby, the father of her three children. After having the first child, they moved to Lewis. When all three children were young she ran an in-home daycare for many years while also selling Avon. The family then moved to an acreage east of Lewis when the kids were in their teens and she began working outside the home.
Joyce began her career in Long Term Care as a housekeeper at the Atlantic Care Center and became a Certified Nursing Assistant, restorative aide and eventually a Certified Medication Aide. While working at the care center in Atlantic, she met Barb, her partner for the remaining 35 years of her life. She worked for many years at the care center. Later, she worked as a Certified Medication Aide at Willow Heights until her retirement. Joyce was called to be a caretaker, both at home and outside of the home. She loved babies, kids, cats, dogs and horses. She was especially creative – she loved crafts and painting, decorating cakes, and making Halloween costumes and Valentine Day boxes for the kids and grandkids. All the neighborhood kids in Lewis looked forward to the popcorn balls Joyce made and gave out for trick-or-treating; some kids even tried to go to her house twice. Joyce was a relentless giver throughout her life and many of her works of art were donated for fundraisers.
She loved black licorice, black jelly beans, country music and the song “Footloose” because it makes a person want to dance. But most of all, she loved her trips to South Dakota, as well as trips to Colorado, and Missouri to visit her brothers and their families. She was happiest when she was with her family, who referred to her as “Nana” as she was a grandmother eight times and a great-grandmother fourteen times. It is said, “in many ways, she’s been the glue that holds the family together”.
She is survived by her life partner, Barb Lubkeman, of Lewis; son, Larry (Sherri) Libby of Council Bluffs; daughters, Tracy (Curt) Wright of Atlantic, and Kristy (Carlo Zenti) Libby of Atlantic; grandchildren, Kaelyn Marquez of Atlantic, Shayla (Andrew) James of Atlantic, Seth (Shannon) Libby of Omaha, Nebraska, Kaelob (Dora) Libby of El Paso, Texas, Haley (Dakota) Ohm of Atlantic, Hannah Wright of Omaha, Nebraska, Claire Zenti of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Gian Zenti of Omaha, Nebraska; great-grandchildren, Enrique, Giovanni and Koiyah Marquez, Keegan and Clara Ohm, Jon, Nicolaus, Savannah and Sophia Libby, Star Libby, Quintin and Baylor James; brother and sister-in-law, Ernie and Cindy Wright of Hayden, Colorado; nephews, Shane (Leslie) Wright, Will (Brittany) Carneal, Logan (Shelana) Carneal, Logan and Jacob Turner, Parker Horne, Chase, Wylie, Jensen and McCoy Dennis, Matthew (Chelsey) Wright, Johnathon Wright, Josiah Wright, Trenton Lee; nieces, Bonnie (Josh) Turner, Jessica (Gary) Horne, Cassidy (Cale) Dennis, and Tianna Wright; brothers-in-law, Ben Lubkeman, Barb’s mother Jean Pelzer, and many beloved cousins and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Kenny and Roger Wright; brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Margie Wright; nieces, Rebel Lynn Wright, Shelli Miller; nephew, John (Rocky) Wright, and her ex-husband, Bill Libby.
Visitation with family present will be held from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Sunday, June 4th, at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic followed by a funeral service at 2:00 p.m. at Rolands. Burial will be held at Oakwood Cemetery in Lewis immediately following the service.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Roland Funeral Service is caring for Joyce’s family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.
