Joyce Wheeler Braun

Joyce Wheeler Braun was born July 9, 1920, to Houston Isaac “Jack” Wheeler and Willie Fleetwood Wheeler in Fort Towson, OK. She was the first of three children. Joyce was born in a humble home near her grandfather’s lumber mill where her father was employed. For the first 12 years of her life, the family lived in several locations in the western U.S. as her father found employment during those very lean years. In 1932, the family moved to the fledgling town of Boulder City, NV, where Joyce’s father found work building the Hoover Dam. He continued to work at the dam for the next 28 years. Joyce attended 7th and 8th grade in Boulder City, but as there was no high school there, she was bused daily to Las Vegas High School where she graduated in 1938. After obtaining her degree in education from the University of Redlands, Joyce taught kindergarten in Boulder City. During the summer of 1942, Joyce met Joseph Braun who was living in Boulder City working as an accountant for the Bureau of Reclamation. That same year Joe enlisted in the army, so much of Joe and Joyce’s courtship was via letters. In August of 1943, Joyce was in California for a few days with her sister, Jeanne. Joe just happened to be there on furlough, so on the 9th day of a 10-day furlough, Joe persuaded Joyce to marry him. They were married August 12, 1943, in The Braun House, a renowned boarding house, owned by Joe’s parents. Joe served in the European Theater for eight months under General Patton, but returned to Boulder City just in time for the birth of their daughter, Marla, in August 1945. The Braun family moved to Los Angeles late in 1945. In 1954, the family moved to Monterey Park where they lived for nearly 54 years. Son Richard was born in February of 1956. Joyce taught school in the Montebello Unified School District from 1960 until 1980. Joyce joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1948. She remained faithful throughout her life, serving multiple times as president of the Relief Society. Joyce and Joe served together for many years as ordinance workers in the Los Angeles Temple. Joyce's life was one of continual service to others. She strove to elevate those around her and tend to the needs of those less fortunate. She lived the motto of the Relief Society: Charity never faileth. She loved music and played both piano and organ in her home and as needed at church. Joyce passed away on July 3, 2010, just six days before her 90th birthday, in Belgrade, MT, at the home of Lane and Janka Cameron who had been lovingly caring for her. She was preceded in death by her sweetheart Joe (2001), her parents, her brother Jack and her sister Jeanne. She is survived by her daughter, Marla (Bob) Adams, her son Richard; four grandchildren: Brian Adams (LeeAnne), Marty Adams, Stephanie Adams (Thomas) Fears, and Amy Adams (Jason) Reer, as well as seven great grandchildren, Sora, Mia, Jude, Audrey, Henry, Camille and Harley. Heartfelt thanks to Lane and Janka Cameron for their love and service to Joyce in the final years of her beautiful life. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 10, 2010, with viewing at 10:00 a.m. at the LDS Eastmont Ward Building, 7505 E. Garvalia Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770. Interment is to follow immediately at Rose Hills Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Perpetual Education Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/perpetual-education-fund/ Funeral arrangements under the direction of Douglass and Zook Chapel of Remembrance, 600 E. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia, CA 91016.