Joyce Ann (Oliver) Spoon

Joyce was born November 22, 1928, in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of William Whitmore “Bing” Oliver and Mary Isabelle (Laster) Oliver. She was a 1946 graduate of Perry Rural High School and graduated from Stephen’s College in Columbia, Missouri, May 1948, with an Associate of Arts degree.

Joyce met Jerry W. Spoon in 1948, while working as a waitress in La Barge, Wyoming, and they were married October 2, 1948, in Topeka, Kansas. They moved to a ranch near Fleming, Colorado in 1965. Joyce became his faithful partner for 43 years until his death in August 1991. Joyce continued to operate the ranch for 12 more years until she married Robert J. Birt April 8, 2003 and moved to Sterling, remaining by his side until his death in December 2009.

Joyce was preceded in death by her two siblings, Brent Oliver of Perry, Kansas, who passed in June 2019, and Sally Oliver also of Perry, Kansas who passed in December 2022.

Joyce is survived by one child, Mark and his wife Gloria Spoon of Conroe, Texas, two grandchildren from Mark Spoon and Linda Wilson, David Spoon and Christina (Spoon) Gesford, husband Gary Gesford, and three great grandchildren, Kaylin, Andrew, and Ashley Gesford, all residing in Sterling, Colorado.

An honorarium for Joyce will be held at the Sterling Foursquare Church at 10 am on May 9th, 2024, located at 427 N. 5th St. in Sterling, Colorado. Inurnment will take place at Haxtun Cemetery in Haxtun, Colorado next to her husband Jerry W. Spoon.