Joyce Marie Depner

On July 10,2024, Joyce Marie Depner, 85, passed peacefully in her sleep after her lunch while taking an afternoon nap.

Joyce Marie Werner was born to her parents Henry Werner and Amanda Green on April 5,1939, in Carson, ND. Where she was raised on the family’s homestead farm. Her twin siblings, Donna and Donald, used to joke that she spent more time getting out of the farm chores than she did doing them as she helped more with the household chores.

She married the love of her life, Donald John Depner, on June 17,1961, in which they shared a lifetime together in Choteau, Montana, until Don’s passing on December 11,2017.

Joyce and Don were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Sonja Vanes Depner born on May 24,1963, and Stacie Depner Spencer born October 7, 1964, in Pierre, SD. Don and Joyce suffered deep loss of both their daughters as Sonja passed at the age of 14 in an accident on May 27, 1977, and Stacie Depner Spencer passed at 45 years old on November 30, 2009, losing her battle with breast cancer.

Joyce enjoyed working with Don on the family farm and then was a caretaker of elderly in her mother-in-law, Martha Depner’s home health nursing home for years.  She enjoyed her rides with Don in his truck and going on trips to see family. Don and Joyce celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and the holidays in Fairfield and Great Falls with their niece, Bonnie and her husband, Jim Cartwright, along with their nieces and great-nieces and great-nephews.  She loved her neighbors and friends and enjoyed their visits and appreciated all their help through the years. Joyce was known for her amazing homemade Cheesecake in which she brought every Christmas Eve for the holidays until she was unable to travel and spent her last years at the Beehive in Choteau, MT.

Don and Joyce were a blessing to all that knew them. She is now with their family again, united together in Heaven with their daughters.

Survivors include her sister, Donna Ruhoff; brother, Donald Werner; niece and husband, Bonnie and Jim Cartwright, who helped care for her and Don through the years; her 6 grandchildren, Nial, Erik, LeAnna, Leigha, Evan and Larisa Spencer; numerous nieces and nephews; great and great-great nieces and nephews; her neighbors; and friends.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Don; their daughters, Sonja and Stacie; brother-in-law, Ralph Ruhoff; sister-in-law, Carol Werner; and nephew, Gary Ruhoff; father-in-law, John Depner; mother-in-law, Martha Depner; both her sisters-in-law, Maxine Depner and Betty Wilkerson; and other loved ones.

A private family burial was held on September 27, 2024, with her surviving siblings, twins- Donna and Donald, niece, Jenny, nephew, cousin, and great nieces, per Joyce’s request.

A very special thank you to all the amazing staff and all her friends at the Beehive in Choteau, MT for being so wonderful to our Aunt Joyce.

Joyce was a breast cancer survivor, but her daughter, Stacie, lost her battle.  In lieu of flowers, please donate in Joyce’s honor to win the fight against breast cancer to your local Breast Cancer Fund or Beehive of Choteau.