Joy D. Tyler

Joy Tyler passed away comfortably on April 8, 2017 at the age of 82, after a short illness. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 13, 2017 at Bethel Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of O’Connor Funeral Home. She was born on June 5, 1934 to Rex and Ellen Hawn in Polson, Montana. She attended school in Great Falls, MT graduating from Great Falls High in 1952. She married John “Jack” Tyler on January 10, 1953. She spent the next 15 years traveling with Jack and family across the United States to numerous Air Force assignments. One of her favorite assignments was Alaska from 1957 to 1961. She made many close lifelong friends. Joy and Jack retired in Great Falls after Jack was discharged from the Air Force in 1969. Joy came back to Great Falls early in 1968 to help care for her parents. She was a devoted daughter to her parents caring for them until their deaths. Joy worked many jobs during her travels with Jack. She was a cashier, clerk, secretary, bookkeeper, and bank floating assistant until she was forced to retire in 1973 due to health issues. In 1983, Joy had a devastating stroke which left her disabled. Joy was very involved in the Farmers Union and Bethel Lutheran Church before her stroke. She was the choir director at Bethel Lutheran Church for many years. She had a beautiful singing voice and loved to play the piano. It was always the family joke that she had 3 children, none of whom could carry a tune. Joy enjoyed playing cards with friends and knitting. She also enjoyed going to the family cabin in Benchmark which she and Jack helped her parents build. She visited her daughter and son-in-law in Germany during the mid-70s. Joy and Jack divorced in the mid-90s but remained friends until his death. Joy always tried to be as independent as possible and lived alone until 2016 at which time she moved into Missouri River Manor. She made many new friends there and enjoyed time taking trips, bible study and other activities. Joy is survived by her daughter, Dannette (Robert) Rutherford of Great Falls; son Rick (Jill) Tyler of Kalispell; 4 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rex and Ellen Hawn; son Allen Tyler; sister Gloria Nash; and ex-husband, John Tyler. Joy would like to express to her family and friends to rejoice in her victory to death and that she is going to her heavenly maker. She is through with her trials and tribulations in life and wants family and friends to be happy for her. Memorials may be sent to the Bethel Lutheran Building Fund, 1009 18th Ave. SW, Great Falls, MT 59404.