Joyce Green Obituary

Joyce Anita Green was born Aug. 16, 1931, in Holland, Michigan. She was born into a family consisting of her Swedish immigrant grandparents, Olaf and Alma Soderberg, and her parents Delbert and Anita Soderberg. She died April 22, 2014, in Farmington, N.M.

Joyce met her future husband, John Green while attending Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music and married him upon his graduation from college. During their 58 years of marriage, this strong Christian couple served first doing literacy work with the Navajo in Gallup, N.M., and then as Wycliffe Bible translators to the Ute people in Towaoc, Colo. Joyce worked side-by-side with John as they developed the alphabet for the Utes and began the difficult task of translating the Bible into the Ute language. When John retired from Wycliffe, Joyce worked with the Headstart program at Towaoc for a number of years.

Joyce was a dedicated Christian woman who was very active in their church, the Montezuma Valley Presbyterian church of Cortez, and found much joy in singing with the choir and serving on various boards and committees.

Joyce was a very talented woman who enjoyed painting, ceramics, gardening sewing and cross-stitching over the years. Her children treasure the beautiful pieces of cross stitch she made for them and they will surely be passed on through the generations to come.

Joyce is survived by her daughters Kathy Myers and Kris Walden of Aztec and Karen Murdock of Chandler, Ariz., as well as sons Mark Green and Mike Green of Phoenix and Matthew Green of California.

She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She also has a sister, Alma Bramer of Guthrie, Okla.

Services will be held Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m. at the Montezuma Valley Presbyterian Church in Cortez Colo. All who desire to offer condolences to the family and to celebrate the life of Joyce are encouraged to attend.