Joyce Clara Molenaar

Joyce (Heinz) Molenaar passed away from complications of cancer on July 6, 2023, in Longmont, Colorado. She was 80 years old. Joyce was born September 20, 1942, in Lemont, Illinois where she spent her childhood and attended high school at Mt. Assisi Academy. When she was 19, she met the love of her life, Robert Molenaar. They were married on September 5, 1964, at St. Alphonsus in Lemont. She is survived by Robert, her children, Michelle and Keith (Jackie), her grandchildren Rebecca, Gordon, Samantha and Audrey, her brothers Tom (Ardella) and Ed (Annette), her nephews, nieces, cousins, and many dear friends. She is proceeded in death by her parents, Joseph Heinz, and Dolores (Pearson) Heinz and her younger brothers Bernie and Mike (Linda).

Joyce and Bob raised their family in the western Chicago suburbs. Joyce was a stay at home mom while her children were young and returned to school in her late thirties. She earned an associate degree from Elgin Community College and was the first in her immediate family to attend college. After a long and successful career in real estate sales and marketing she moved to Longmont, Colorado in 2005 to “retire.” While living in Longmont she was an active community member and foundational volunteer at HOPE (Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement), at St. John’s Foodbank and with the Welcome Group at St. Francis.

Joyce was a lifelong Catholic. She attended mass regularly and deepened her faith by trusting, loving, and challenging all she was taught. While living in Longmont she attended St. John and St. Francis parishes. Her faith was a source of personal hope along with many significant friendships that brought her love and laughter and carried her throughout her life and into her last moments.

Joyce was an amazing cook and hostess. She had a knack for entertaining and found joy in providing a warm place to gather. She always knew her guests’ favorite dishes and remembered to include them in her meals. She loved to garden and spent countless hours tending to the vegetables and plants in the backyard and many times entertained friends on the back porch.

She was organized, intelligent and outgoing. Most mornings she could be found sharing coffee with her good friends at Einstein’s in Longmont, Thursday afternoons at the foodbank, the first Monday of the month at bunco and the second Monday at bridge. Her spirituality group met once a month and every third Tuesday evening she played Five Crowns around the kitchen table with neighborhood friends. She enjoyed life, loved her family and friends, and could often be heard bragging about her grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

As she encountered cancer for the second time in her life, she gave us all the gift of handling herself with grace, dignity, and laughter. She impressed everyone she met with her positive attitude and never-ending appreciation for every act of compassion she received. During the last few weeks of her life, she shared wisdom with her grandchildren when she talked about the meaning she found in the company of friends and family, and the irrelevance she saw in material items. She believed in the power of friendship and passed away peacefully with her husband by her side, making sure his closest friend was next to him as she left us.

Services will be held 10:30 am Friday, August 18, 2023, at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Longmont, CO. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to either HOPE or the St. Francis Foodbank in Longmont.