Joyce Kay Sneesby, 65, Sturgis, died Thursday, July 21, 2011, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Visitation will be noon until 9:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 25, 2011, at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis with Rev. Michael Fox officiating. Burial will follow at the Oak Ridge Cemetery near Deadwood.

Joyce was born at home to Stephen and Irene (Bushman) Sneesby near Carthage, SD, on August 18, 1945. The family moved to Lead where Joyce graduated from Lead High School. She went to work for Western Drug in Lead where she was a cook. She moved to Denver where she was employed as a cook for the Greek Village restaurant for 10 years. She heard they were hiring "girl" miners so she returned to Lead and worked underground for Homestake.

Joyce moved to Oklahoma for a short time and returned to the Black Hills where she took care of her parents.

Joyce was a compulsive collector of memorabilia. She was known around the Deadwood area as the "James Dean Lady".

Survivors include her mother, Irene Sneesby, Sturgis; one brother, Doug Sneesby, Deadwood; four sisters, Sheila Hughes, Spearfish, Edna (Terry) Allerdings, Lead, Lenora (Les) Rieger, Eugene, OR, and Beverly (Howard) Fisher, Rapid City; also numerous nieces, nephews, and very special neighbors.

She was preceded in death by her father and sister-in-law, Shirley.

A memorial has been established for the benefit of children.

Click on link to view service folder