Joyce Virginia Busch

We lost a unique and inspiring woman known as Joyce, Jo, Mom, Grandma, Oma, Boss and Friend. She loved to have fun, spend time with family, meet new people, tour the world, dance, relax at Bass Lake, learn new things and participate in all the fun and good times she could. A roller-skater, water skier, motorcyclist, Joyce also took Judo and trained to become a Fresno County Sheriff Reserve Officer. She enjoyed connecting with people on Facebook and emailing her friends around the world. Her family and friends were everything to her. Outgoing and kind, she was a wonderful, loving, caring person and a friend for life.

Joyce Virginia Busch, 91, of Fresno, California passed away September 29, 2021. Her last moments were spent with her husband and daughters by her side.

She was born on September 13, 1930 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. At thirteen days old, she was adopted by her parents, Elmer and Alva “Pal” Nichols. When she was ten years old her brother, Elmer Dee, was born. She went to school in Oklahoma and California, and at a young age started working while going to school. At thirteen, she worked as a riveter in the Bethlehem Shipyards in Alameda, CA—until they found out how old she was!

On January 23, 1948 Joyce married Leroy A. Busch in Reno, Nevada. They met when she worked in the office of a trucking company where Leroy was a mechanic. Within a few years, they started a family of three girls: Peggy, Janice and Carol. Joyce and Leroy were married for nearly 74 years.

Joyce started her career in retail sales at Triple J Drugs as a clerk and became personnel manager, buyer and then security manager. While her security training began on the job, her desire to be the best she could be led her to attend workshops, seminars and classes. Eventually she worked in loss prevention at Montgomery Ward and JC Penney. Joyce moved to Longs Drugs when they asked her to develop a security program for their stores in the Central Valley. She was hired as their Loss Prevention Director. Joyce made many wonderful friends among the Longs family of managers, pharmacists and employees. She retired in 1994.

Travel was one of Joyce’s greatest joys in her life. She and Leroy had such fun traveling around the United States in their motorhome. In due course, their travels expanded beyond America and they took several tours through Europe. Next came cruises and they loved those experiences and made many wonderful friends on their trips. Leroy and Joyce traveled to Western Europe, South America, China, Indonesia, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. She was always on the go and happily earned the nickname “Oma A-GO-GO”.

Joyce is survived by her husband Leroy. As Mom, her three daughters: Peggy Cook and husband Bob, Janice Denman and husband Mike, and Carol Roberson and husband Jeff. As Grandma, she leaves her seven grandchildren: Donna Lambert (husband Paul), Laura Cook, Matthew Denman (partner Jayson), Megan Park (husband Keola), Jill Roberson, Sean Roberson, and Kelley Jennaty (husband Zaman). As Oma, she was blessed with six great grandchildren: Jonathan and Katelyn Lambert, Alexa and Nick Marchini, and Aria and Mia Jennaty. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Kathy Nichols, nephews, Larry and Ben Nichols and niece, Terry Busch.

Joyce was predeceased by her parents, her brother Elmer Dee and her infant grandson, Seth Denman.

Joyce believed she had lived a long and good life and said she was ready to leave her pain and suffering behind. She would want to thank all of you for being her friend, caring for her and her family, and for everyone to pass along love and kindness to all whom you should meet. As she would often say: “Love ya, love ya, love ya!”

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, October 21, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA 93720. Interment to follow at Belmont Memorial Park. Reception to be announced.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Busch family.

If you would like to make a donation in Joyce’s honor, please consider the American Cancer Society.