Joyce Irene Morelli, age 89, was born in Buffalo Lake, MN on April 4, 1928; she was the second youngest of eight children. She is preceded in death by her father David, mother Loretta Zimmerman Martin, husband Francesco (1926-1985), daughter Regina (1954-1992), and brothers and sisters: Elva, Arlene, Betty, Ova, and Ralph all of Minnesota. She is survived by her sons Stephen of Navarre, with whom she made her home, and Gian and Marykay of Portland, OR; grandson Joseph (Kent); brothers Roger (Soledad) Martin of San Diego, and Glenn (Kate) Martin of Canton; sisters-in-law Rosario Lioi, and Catherine Nardecchia (Guido); and many nieces and nephews. Joyce was as joyful as her name. A Minnesota farm girl who clamored to the tops of barns as a child to knock down swallow's nests. She met her husband, of 38 years, on a Minneapolis streetcar and in a Chinese restaurant where she and her sisters waitressed. She gardened and canned to stretch the grocery money so it could be put to use on various classes for her children. Amazingly supportive and involved in her children's activities, from Boy Scouts to dance recitals - she could be seen in the basement in her bare feet repeating "shuffle ball change" to her charges, providing covered dishes for the Boy Scout banquet, or running lines for the school play. She held a deep Roman Catholic faith, is a polio survivor, and was a 25 year employee of Higbee's Department store. Yet, this is not a woman who simply "sacrificed" for her children, this was her life and she had a way of imbuing the most drudging chore with a sense of fun and playfulness. Above all, Joyce approached life with a unique whimsy and humility, and maintained an irreverent sense of humor which she passed on to her children. Family and friends will be received on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Rossi Family Funeral Home, with Miraculous Medal services starting at 2:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony/All Saints Parish. Interment will follow at Sunset Hills Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration of Sancta Clara Monastery.

Her last instructions were to include these parting words in her obituary: Go Bucks!

"We are such stuff as Dreams are made on, and our little life rounded with a sleep."

The Tempest

Wm. Shakespeare

Rossi (330) 492-5830

www.rossifuneralhomeinc.com