Cloudy, 54° F
(April 5, 1928 - March 27, 2015)
Lily “Joyce” Stevens, formerly of Powell, died peacefully March 27, 2015, at her home in Colorado Springs, Colo., surrounded by her loving children. She was 86.
Joyce was born in Coleville, Utah, on April 5, 1928, to Robert and Echo Vail Pinckard. Joyce was the second of five children and had a big hand in raising all of her siblings due to her parents frequent travel.
On Feb. 9, 1945, Joyce married her first great love, William Koontz. Together they had four wonderful children: William, Linda, Michael and Robert. In 1956, William tragically died of complications from an accident.
In 1957, Joyce met and married her second great love, James “Jim” Stevens. From that union, they had one daughter, Tammy, and one adopted son, Dennis Lee.
Jim and Joyce traveled all over the country due to Jim’s construction jobs. This nurtured Joyce’s love of travel. She traveled through all 50 states, several countries and took many cruises.
If you were to ask Joyce what her greatest accomplishments were, she would say her faith and her family. Joyce loved her children and grandchildren endlessly. She was an extremely strong-willed, loyal, caring woman who always had a twinkle in her eye when she smiled.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Echo; brother Lee Pinckard; sister Ruth Gates; husbands William Koontz and James Stevens; children Dennis Lee Stevens and Tammy Stevens; and grandson Brian Koontz.
She is survived by her children: William (Peggy) Koontz of Colorado Springs, Colo., Linda (Frank) Cropanese of Powell, Michael (Patty) Koontz of Lakeside, Mont., Robert Koontz of Colorado Springs, Colo.; brother Duane Pinckard of Crawford, Colo.; and sister Esther Burnett of Olathe, Colo. Joyce also is survived by 23 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and many friends.
No words can express how much she will be missed, but her family takes comfort in knowing that they will see Joyce again, “If the good Lord is willing and the creek don’t rise.”
