Joyce Lois Spears

Joyce (Falkenhagen) Spears, 95, went to be with her God peacefully on Sunday, February 23, 2025. Joyce was born on May 11, 1929, in Saginaw, Michigan. Joyce grew up in Saginaw and earned a nursing degree, moving with her young family to Traverse City in 1961. She worked for several decades as a registered nurse and retired from Munson Medical Center in 1993. She enjoyed many deep friendships, and she cared deeply for her patients. Joyce valued relationships above all else. Relatives, neighbors, and friends were always welcome in her home. Joyce's presence and warmth would be felt as soon as she entered a room; she was always positive and spoke highly of others. Her impact and love will continue to resonate with her family and friends. Friendships were important to Joyce; she attended class reunions and kept up with her fellow 1947 Saginaw High graduates for almost seventy years. Joyce had a sense for adventure, enjoying canoeing, cross country skiing, a tram ride up a 10,000 foot mountain, and even waterskiing for the first time at age 58! In her earlier years, she participated in league bowling, and loved to walk. Joyce was talented, gifted, and had an eye for design as she renovated a 1905 Victorian house and turned it into a beautiful family home. She was also a volunteer librarian at Glenn Loomis School, a first aid nurse for Glacier Dome summer hockey, and a volunteer fundraiser for various local charities. While not a world traveler, she enjoyed adventures to Texas, California, a Caribbean Cruise, spring breaks in Florida, traveling throughout Michigan, and being pulled from a roadside snowbank during a Cadillac blizzard! She was a dog lover who enjoyed a spirited game of Euchre, Cribbage, or Scrabble. Joyce truly loved knitting and sewing. Her afghans, lap blankets, baby blankets, sweaters, socks, slippers, hats, mittens, and scarfs have been cherished by family, friends, and those who were in need. Perhaps the most cherished of all were her hand knitted, personalized Christmas stockings she made for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was a beautiful seamstress, often sewing into the wee hours of the morning finishing special dresses for her daughters. She faithfully watched (and played) Jeopardy and loved to laugh. She instilled the importance of education and a heart of compassion into her kids and grandkids. She played the piano and enjoyed music, singing, and dancing. A lifelong learner, she always studied to keep pace in nursing and stayed current and informed of local and world events. She never stopped caring about people, keeping her smile and special sense of humor to the end. She was a loving and supportive mother and grandmother, remaining actively involved in her children's, grandchildren's, and great-grandchildren's lives. Her example of hard work, integrity, helping others, and proper handling of money was invaluable to her children; she would always say, “Do your best!” She believed in people and did her best to make the world a better place. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents Earl and Helen Falkenhagen, sister and brother-in-law Kay and John Konieczka, nephews John Jr. and Brian Konieczka, son-in-law Steven Johnson, and former husband Elton (Bud) Spears. She is lovingly remembered and dearly missed by her children Tim Spears, Laurie Johnson, Amy Spears, and Dan (Sue) Spears, grandchildren Andrew (Kelli) Johnson, Kathryn Johnson, Candice (Bret) Munro, Chelsea (Tyler) VandenBosch, Sarah (Evrett) Hemmes, and Aaron Spears, as well as her seven great-grandchildren Kenneth Louque, Declan Louque, Kenzie Munro, Cambria VandenBosch, Logan VandenBosch, Rileigh VandenBosch, and Zoey VandenBosch, and her nieces and nephews Cathy Griffin, Beth (Robert) Hassler, Greg (Paula) Konieczka, Brad (Jackie) Konieczka, and Joe (Christi) Konieczka. Please join the family in celebrating Joyce and her beautiful life at a Celebration of Life on Sunday, July 13, from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at The Botanic Garden at the Commons (Historic Barns Park), 1490 Red Drive, Traverse City, MI. There will be a special presentation honoring Joyce by the Northwest Michigan Nurses Honor Guard that will begin at 2:00 p.m. Guests are invited and will be welcome to share their memories of Joyce after the presentation.

Joyce Lois Spears

May 11, 1929 - February 23, 2025