Joyce Jacobson

On Feb. 24, 2016, Joyce Jacobson, our beloved wife, mother and Gram, passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Joyce was a welcoming, caring and beautiful person inside and out. She showed love to everyone she met.

Joyce was one of eight children born to Ernest and Grace Sykes in Cross Creek, Florida, on Nov. 19, 1936. She loved to tell of her antics and fond memories of growing up with her siblings in central Florida. She loved Montana and lived here for the past 57 years, but always held Florida close to her heart.

During her nurse's training in Chattahoochee, Florida, she met Jerry Jacobson, the love of her life, on a beach in Panama City, Florida, in 1957. After graduating from nursing school in 1957, she worked at a V.A. hospital in Texas. Not long after she transferred to Wichita, Kansas, where she and Jerry were married in 1959.

They moved to Jerry's hometown of Missoula, with Joyce working at St. Patrick Hospital before deciding to stay home and raise her three children. Their first son, Ron, was born in 1961, followed by daughter Cathy in 1964 and the youngest son, Greg, in 1970. Her life revolved around her three children. She was a fun-loving mother who would play with her children from card games to massive water fights. As much as she loved being a mother, she found great joy in being a grandmother. She loved spending time with each of her grandchildren and was happiest when she had them all with her. Her grandchildren were perfect in her eyes and could do no wrong. She loved to brag about them to her friends and other family members. She supported them by attending their sporting events, concerts and plays, no matter where they were held.

She was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church. She spent countless hours over the years volunteering her time to many ministries of the church. Joyce was active in the Missoula community including Meals on Wheels. She delivered hundreds of meals for the homebound and coordinated the program for many years.

Joyce had many interests including sewing, carving wooden Santa figures, beading and traveling. One of her greatest adventures was to the Holy Land with her best friend, Nancy Stoverud. She was a woman of a deep and abiding faith and to travel to the Holy Land was a dream come true for her.

Joyce was preceded in death by her father, Ernest Sykes; her mother, Grace Sykes; brothers, Owen Sykes, Esmond Sykes and Gary Sykes; sister, Sandra Sykes; sister-in-law, Jackie Scoville; and granddaughter, Cara Jacobson.

Survivors include husband, Jerry; son Ron (Shelly) Jacobson; daughter Cathy (Bill) Rankin; son Greg (Cheryl) Jacobson; and her beloved grandchildren, Raimey Burgess, Kaila Jacobson, Colton Jacobson, Elissa Rankin, Julia Rankin and Emma Jacobson. She is survived by sisters, Alice Martin and Jan (Ed) Curren; brother Hugh Sykes; as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Joyce's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 9, at Immanuel Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Immanuel Lutheran Church Accessibility Fund in her name.
Read Joyce Jacobson's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.