Joyce Mildred Shacklett, a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully and with grace on Thursday, December 1, 2022, in Loveland, Colorado, at age 85 from Alzheimer's with a son and daughter-in-law by her side.

Joyce was born the last of nine children to Dudley and Seba Tuttle on February 21, 1937, near Utica, Nebraska. She attended country schools near Friend, Nebraska, and graduated from Friend High School in 1954. She was an accomplished pianist, and vocalist, performing in church and at events through her high school years.

After graduation, she worked at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln as a clerk typist. Soon after, she met a farm hand, Walter Lee, working the combine for her dad. Joyce and Walter were married in 1956 and had four children while living in Friend, and Lincoln, Nebraska. They moved to Rapid Valley, South Dakota in 1964.

Joyce and her family attended the Assembly of God church in Rapid Valley through the years, even after moving to the Canyon Lake area of Rapid City in 1965. With the kids in school, she worked at Merchant Police and then over ten years at Pacific Fruit and Produce where she was promoted from bookkeeper to office manager before trying her hand as a traveling salesperson, all positions she enjoyed and excelled in.

Joyce married Lawrence Shacklett on February 16, 1979, and they lived in Rapid City and later in Spearfish, SD, before his death in 1997. She and Larry were true soul mates and enjoyed happy years living on Lourie Ln in Spearfish and attending the nearby Calvary Temple Assembly of God.

Even through difficult times, she always seemed to enjoy the jobs she held over the years, including sales auditor at Target and office manager for Dr. Brown and Black Hills Medical Clinic in Spearfish. After "retirement", she cleaned the church for five years and, in her words, was "one mean cleaning lady".

She was also a good listener for her daughter and three boys. Each would call her weekly, if not daily, through their busy years of working and raising families. She never failed to be there for them.

Joyce is survived by her children: Joy (Dan) Lehnert, Clermont, FL, Jim (Sheila) Lee, Fort Collins, CO, Dan Lee, Rapid City, SD, and Mike (Patty) Lee, Nemo, SD; as well as grandchildren, Becky (Kevin) Irwin, Sioux Falls, SD, Tessa (Ted) Morse, Golden, CO, Beth (Colin) Santi, Wellington, CO, Michael (Claire) Lehnert, Yalaha, FL, and Benjamin Lee, Rapid City, SD; and sister, Maxine Juahiainen, Cedar Rapids, IA.  Joyce was blessed with 3 great-granddaughters, Madison, Emerson, and Rory: and 4 great-grandsons, Palmer, Teddy, Boone, and Warren, and many loved nieces and nephews.

Joyce is preceded in death by her mother and father, husbands, Walter and Larry, great- grandchildren, Zachary, and Lylah Irwin, sisters, Edith Louise, Neva Lucille, Lois Marie, Wilmetta Mae, and brothers, Carl Francis, Donald Dudley, and Norman Keith.

Folks will gather at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, South Dakota, Tuesday, December 6 ^th , 2022, at 10:00 a.m. with burial at 11:30 a.m. at the Black Hills National Cemetery.

Donations to Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org/donate) would be much appreciated