Lucille Reed Obituary

Lucille Joyce Reed was born Jan. 21, 1931, at the Johnson Hospital in Cortez. She passed away Sept. 17, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center in Durango at the age of 80. Joyce was one of four children born to Norris and Mabel Roubidoux. She and twin sister Joy completed the family behind older brothers Mickey and Junior. The girls were only 10 years old when Mickey died of Rocky Mountain spotted tick fever in 1941. All four of the kids were raised on the farm at Bear Creek on the Dolores River. Joyce had numerous stories about the river during spring floods, big snowdrifts that shut down travel both to Dolores and Rico, and about riding "The Galloping Goose." She had an excellent memory of things that happened up the river and loved sharing them with the family. She and Mabel were forever telling stories while they were canning peas, beans, corn and whatever else Norris raised in his large garden at Yellow Jacket.

Joyce attended high school in Cortez, and then two years of college at Adams State in Alamosa. This allowed her to get a teaching certificate that enabled her to teach for two years at Four Corners school in Yellow Jacket.

Joyce married Joe Reed on June 25, 1950, in Cortez. To this union four children were born, Spark in 1951, Don in 1953, Ellen "Sissy" in 1954, and the tag-along, Dixie in 1962. In 1958, they adopted Sarah, who was 7 years old at the time. Joyce was devastated by the death of her daughter Ellen in 2009. She always said no parent should have to bury their child.

Joyce and Joe moved to the Reed family farm in Yellow Jacket in the fall of 1956. She was the true farm wife, spending time on the tractor, hoeing beans, milking cows and feeding animals. All that, plus raising five kids, keeping house, ironing, cooking, baking, canning, and serving on the PTA. She took care of Joe's mother, May, when they moved her to the little house next to theirs in 1961 until her death in 1967. In later years she also took care of her parents, Norris and Mabel, when they came to live at the farm. She was a great daughter and mother and the official matriarch of the family.

Around 1970, she began driving a school bus, which she enjoyed doing for 20-plus years. She cared for and worried about the kids who rode her bus as much as she did her own children. She was always taking them to get treats at the Yellow Jacket store. She never complained about the deep snow and slick roads; she just slowed down and made sure the kids got to school and home safe and sound.

Joyce's life revolved around her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and it would make her day when they came to visit. There was nothing she wouldn't do for any of them. Joyce made sure her children had the upbringing and direction they needed to succeed in life. She loved watching her children marry and start families of their own. Several of her grandchildren had lived with her during tough times and she had co-signed on many loans to help them get started. She never missed a birthday and always said the kids were growing up too fast for her liking. One of Joyce's favorite pastimes was spending time with the family camping in the mountains, which she got to do for the last time over Labor Day weekend. Nothing made her happier than to have her whole family sitting around the campfire at night, telling stories, eating s'mores, singing and laughing

Joyce had two bad habits: The Broncos and the Rockies. If you ever wanted to get on her bad side, just try talking trash about her teams. Everything came to a halt when either of them was playing. Her biggest thrill was when Don took her to Denver and she got to watch the Rockies on Saturday and the Broncos on Sunday. It was a great weekend that she talked about for a long time. She watched the Rockies for the last time while in the hospital.

Joyce is survived by her children, Spark and wife Alesa of Dolores, Don and wife Sandy of Montrose, Dixie and husband Dick of Yellow Jacket, and son-in-law Leroy Oliver of Pleasant View; and by 21 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Norris and Mabel Roubidoux, brothers Mickey and Junior, and daughter Ellen Oliver.