Joyce Elaine Grev was born in Kossuth County, Iowa, on Jan. 26, 1939, to Fred and Lea (Kesler) Barney, the youngest of three daughters. The family moved to Fairmont, and she was educated at Fairmont Public Schools graduating in 1957. On Sept. 7, 1958, she was united in marriage to Ellsworth Carl Grev at Grace Lutheran Church in Fairmont. To this union, two sons were born: Scott and Steven.

Their early marriage was spent in Minneapolis with Ells attending the University of Minnesota. After his graduation, they embarked on a military life and lived in many places in the U.S. and even spent three years in Germany. When Ells served in Vietnam, Joyce and the boys returned to Fairmont to live near family until his tour ended. While Ells was stationed at the Pentagon in the 1980s, they lived in Alexandria, Va. where Joyce owned and operated a flower shop, which was her passion.

Upon Ells’s retirement from the military, Joyce and Ells settled for a time in Mich., Va., Fla. and finally settling in N.C. After their son, Scott’s divorce, they helped raise his three sons. Joyce was a wonderful mother and grandmother, doting on her grandsons.

Tragically, their son Steven passed away from cancer in 2008, and she lost Ells suddenly in 2015. Her son Scott also died unexpectedly just two years later, prompting Joyce to return to her childhood roots in Fairmont, where she was happy to spend time with family and high school friends.

In 2022, she entered Goldfinch Assisted Living and passed away at the Memory Care unit on March 24, 2025.

Left to cherish Joyce’s memory are her grandsons, Michael of Aspen, Colo., Justin of Destin, Fla. and Matthew (Samantha) of Concord, N.C., as well as two great-grandsons, Oliver and Wallace Grev of Concord, N.C. Also surviving Joyce are her brothers-in-law Lawrence Warriner of Granada and Clinton Grev of Crystal; Nephews Kirk, Eliot, Ryan (Rachel) and Doug Grev; Roger (Pam) Carlson, Gary (Pam) Warriner, Nieces Cindy Drahota, Kristi Westbrook and Kim (Curt) Strombeck; as well as other friends and relatives.

In addition to her parents, Joyce was preceded in death by her husband Ellsworth, stepfather Arthur Schmidt, parents-in-law Carl and Evelyn Grev, two sons Scott and Steven, sisters Mildred Carlson and Arlene Warriner; brothers-in-law Eugene Grev and Oscar Carlson, sisters-in-law Alice Grev and Carol Grev.

Memorials are preferred to UHD Hospice or the donor’s choice.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net.

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