Helyn G. Joyce, 84, Sturgis, died Sunday, December 5, 2010, at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Following her wishes, her body was cremated.

Helyn was born January 7, 1926, at Hartford, Conn., to Walter and Gertrude (Manger) O'Connor. She married Richard Valentine Joyce in Las Vegas, NV, on September 19, 1950.

Helyn, a long-time resident of Las Vegas, brought art and beauty to the world. She coordinated the first art shows on the strip, met and befriended the local talent and stars that entertained there. She worked with the strip hotel publicity departments and ran the MGM Hotels first art gallery. Later years took her to Biloxi, MS, until hurricane Katrina displaced her. After two years in Mobile, AL, she came to Sturgis to be with her daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Donald Schad.

Helyn was a member of the BPW (Business and Professional Women) and was a member of Eastern Star.

She is survived by two daughters, Jill (Donald) Schad, Lead, SD, and Joyce D'Amour, Las Vegas; and one brother, Donald O'Connor, Rexford, GA.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one son, Ronald Joyce; and one brother, Richard O'Connor.