Joyce Beerbower

Eaton, IN

Joyce Ann (Johns) Beerbower, 84, went home February 14, 2020 to spend Valentine’s Day with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and her husband of 64 years, Richard (Dick), who went ahead of her in March 2019.  Joyce and Richard started dating in 1951 when Joyce was a freshman and Dick was a senior at Tipton High School.  Joyce and Dick only missed spending two Valentine’s together over the past 69 years, both when Dick was serving his country overseas.

Joyce was born January 21, 1936 to Charles and Burnice (Cage) Johns at their home in Sharpsville, Indiana.  The family later moved to Tipton where Joyce graduated from Tipton High School in 1954.  In October of that same year, Joyce married Dick, and they remained committed to each other from that day forward - for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health for the next 64 years. Together they raised their “four redheads” – Lora Wright (Terry), Judy Gutermuth (Steve), Angela Rector, and Marci Jester (Greg) – in Granville, near Eaton, surrounded by wonderful neighbors for over five decades.

After her youngest started school, Joyce decided to also, pursuing a degree in cosmetology. After graduating from Amber’s Beauty School in 1969, Joyce worked as a cosmetologist for over three decades alongside her business partner and close friend, Joan Perkins, at their shops in Eaton.  Joyce continued to grow in her trade by taking continuing education classes which earned her a Master Cosmetologist certificate from the State of Indiana in 1989.  She also represented her profession well serving on at least two Evaluation Teams for the State Board of Vocational and Technical Education and as an officer on the board of Muncie Affiliate 16 of the National Hairdressers and Cosmetologists Association.

Joyce was a member of First Christian Church in Eaton, Indiana for over six decades, serving as Sunday School teacher, elder and deaconess and as an active leader in Christian Women’s Fellowship (CWF) for many years.  After moving from Granville to New Castle in 2018, Joyce enjoyed worshipping with her family at their local churches.  One of Joyce’s greatest passions, studying the Bible, was kindled in the late 1970’s when her good friend Sandy Howell invited her to attend Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) in New Castle.  As a participant and then small group leader, Joyce was wholeheartedly involved in studying God’s Word through BSF in both New Castle and Muncie for over thirty years, and in turn, encouraged many others, including her daughters and grandchildren, to dig into God’s Word either through BSF or through their own church or personal study time. 

Along with her four daughters and three son-in-laws, Joyce is survived by her sister Joretta (Johns) Fakes, brothers Bob and Dan Johns, five grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, two great-granddaughters, a great-grandson due in May, five step-great-grandchildren, and a number of special nieces and three very special nephews.  One of Joyce’s greatest joys was to welcome any one of them to her home to visit or to go and visit one of them.  It was also her joy and privilege to pray for each one of them daily to come to know Jesus in a very real and personal way as she did.

In addition to her husband Richard, Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Charles Kent (Buck) Johns, her mother and father-in-law Ora and Florence (Mallery) Beerbower, her sister and brother-in-law, Bob and Joan (Beerbower) Bath, brother-in-law Dick Fakes, her son-in-law Garth Rector, former son-in-law Tim Sharp, and two beautiful nieces.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, February 23 @ 2:30 p.m. at Pitman-Richman Funeral Home, 200 South Hartford Street, Eaton with Pastor John Garrett officiating.  Burial will follow at Black Cemetery, Albany.

Family and friends will be welcomed to share their memories of Joyce Ann Johns Beerbower with her family and each other from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday prior to the service.

Memorials may be made in Joyce’s memory to Bible Study Fellowship Global Headquarters, 19001 Huebner Road San Antonio, TX USA 78258-4019 (Indicate for New Castle Indiana Women’s Class), The Gideons International, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251 or the ministry or charity of your choice.  

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