Joyce V Dye, 96, died August 10, 2024 in Richland, WA of natural causes.

Joyce was born on April 22, 1928, to Joseph and Lovisa (Hatteberg) Larsen on the family farm northeast of Galata, Montana. She attended school at Galata through her freshman year in high school. When the Galata High School closed, Joyce moved to Shelby, where she attended and graduated from Shelby High School, while living with her sister Alvina.

Growing up, Joyce worked on the family farm. Following graduation she worked at the Shelby Courthouse. It was there she met Henry Dye. They married on September 14, 1947. They moved to Galata where Henry worked on the farm and later kept books at the oil station. In 1952 they moved to Shelby, where Joyce worked at the courthouse, kept books at the Ford dealership, and later worked as a manager in the title industry. Together, Joyce and Henry had five children, John, Lorraine, Doug, Byron and Brenda. Following Henry’s death in 1989 Joyce remained in the family home in Shelby until 2019, when deteriorating health led her to move to an assisted care facility in Richland, Washington, near her daughter, Lorraine.

Joyce never met a craft she did not love. She specialized in sewing, crochet and embroidery, winning many ribbons at the county fair, and showering her family with cherished gifts. Joyce volunteered with the fair, at the Marias Care Center, at the museum, and at the Cedar Closet. Joyce was an active member of the Galata Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School, served as the church treasurer, and was a member of the church council for over 20 years. Joyce enjoyed raising plants and was known for having the only producing lemon tree in Shelby, from which she harvested lemons for her famous lemon meringue pies.

Joyce enjoyed traveling with her family, journeying to Norway, Denmark, Hawaii, Disneyland, and throughout Montana. She made numerous bus trips and over 300 Amtrak trips to visit with children and grandchildren in Idaho and Washington. She remained close to her Montana family and loved spending holidays with them, baking her famous Peep cakes at Easter.

Joyce is survived by 2 daughters, Lorraine Fields (Kim) of West Richland, WA, Brenda Froelich (Bob) of Auburn, WA; 1 son, Byron (Virginia) of Graham, WA; 3 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren; 1 sister, LouAnn Burd of Galata, MT; and numerous nieces and nephews. Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, 2 sons (John and Doug), 2 grandchildren, her parents, her sister (Alvina Flage) and her brother (Quinton Larsen).

Services celebrating Joyce’s life will be held on August 15 at 2:00 PM at Brookdale Richland in Richland, WA and on August 30 at 2:00PM at the Galata Lutheran Church in Galata, MT. The family suggests that memorial gifts be designated to the Galata Lutheran Church.