Joyce Brown

Life Legacy Joyce Brown passed quietly into the fuller presence of our Lord Jesus early on Christmas Evening. Her family celebrated her arrival in the Heavenly Kingdom at Christmas Worship, thinking of her joining the Angelic Choir announcing the Savior’s birth, and singing, “Glory to God”. Remembering her with love are her husband, Wendell, her son, Nathan, her daughter, Erin Smith and husband, Shawn, granddaughters Alexa Brown and Camryn Smith, Grandsons, Cooper Smith and Cade Smith, her sisters, Ruth Westlake and Beverly Withrow, cousins, nieces and nephews, and many wonderful friends who have loved her and prayed for her during her illness. Joyce was born in Bluford, Illinois, August 20, 1939. She graduated from Rochelle High School, Rochelle, Illinois, and attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She and Wendell were High School Sweethearts. They were married in 1959 at Wendell’s home church in Creston, Illinois. They would have celebrated their 57th anniversary on December 26. She worked at Augsburg Publishing House in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while Wendell was in College and Seminary. She began her career in Church Music Ministry at an early age. While still in High School, She played organ and piano in her home church every Sunday. When Wendell was ordained into the ministry, he was called to serve in Shepherd and Broadview, Montana. They arrived to discover that the church organist had resigned. Joyce took over, and for the next forty-three years she was involved in Church Music. At their second church in Golden Valley, Minnesota, Wendell organized the Youth Group into a traveling Youth Choir, The Chi-Centric Singers. Joyce, of course, was the accompanist. During their thirty-five years at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Salinas, California, Joyce was the organist and pianist. She directed children’s, youth, and adult vocal and handbell choirs and Worship Band. She loved producing musicals and directing Christmas programs. She and Wendell semi-retired and moved to Heritage Ranch, near Paso Robles, Ca. in 2009. Wendell served as Interim Pastor at Hope Lutheran in Atascadero, and Joyce organized a children’s choir to sing for the Christmas Eve Services. She was the organist at Bethel Lutheran, Templeton, Ca. until her terminal illness. One of her greatest joys was seeing young people from her choirs continue in music ministry as adults. Her Memorial Service will be Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 11:00 am at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 580 Larkin Street, Salinas Ca. 93907. At her request it will be “Music, Music, Music”. Since her life was so wrapped up in her churches, Memorial Gifts are suggested to: The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 580 Larkin Street, Salinas, Ca. 93907 Hope Lutheran Church, 8005 San Gabriel Road, Atascadero, Ca. 93422 Bethel Lutheran Church, 295 Old Country Road, Templeton, Ca. 93465