Joyce Wiltbank Howells

Joyce Wiltbank Howells, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 22, 1938, the fifth child of William Ellis Wiltbank, Jr. and Mary Alta Wiltbank. As a child, Joyce loved to roller skate, jump rope and play jacks. As she grew she became a favorite aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Joyce was briefly married to Dave Davis, but the marriage ended before the birth of her daughter, Yvette Marie on May 15, 1963 in Palo Alto, California. Yvette had juvenile diabetes and died as a young woman from complications it caused.

Joyce met Samuel Howells at an LDS singles dance in Provo, Utah. They married in the Manti Temple and their daughter Amyjo was born June 5, 1968 in Salt Lake City. Sam adopted Yvette and they were sealed as a family for time and all eternity. Joyce and Sam lived in Utah before moving to Missouri where they lived until coming to Round Valley in August 2016.

Joyce worked at various jobs through the years, including a University Librarian for 22 years after she earned a Master’s Degree in Library Science. Joyce also had many church callings. She served as a Primary teacher, Sunday School teacher, Counselor in Primary, Home Study Seminary Teacher for almost 4 years (her daughter Amy was her student for 3 of those years), Relief Society Pianist, Meeting House Librarian, Choir Pianist, Sacrament Meeting Pianist, and a temple worker in the Dallas Temple and the St. Louis Temple. She loved all of her callings because she loved being of service.

Joyce was immensely proud of her pioneer heritage. She had ten ancestors that lived in Nauvoo, Illinois and then crossed the Plains to Salt Lake City, Utah. Three sets of great grandparents on her father’s side were then called to settle in St. George, Utah and helped build the St. George Temple. They all eventually moved on the northeastern Arizona and helped to settle that area along with her mother’s parents, Joseph and Emma Udall. Her mother’s maternal grandmother, Ellen Jackson Goldsbrough, joined the church in England at age 17 and came by herself to the United States and helped pull a handcart across the Plains. She was a plural wife of Henry Goldsbrough who owned the hotel in Nephi, Utah and who paid for the rest of her family to immigrate to Utah.

A few of Joyce’s favorite things included Mexican food (the hotter, the better!), reading, playing the piano, decorating her home, collecting recipes, organizing things and BYU sports.

Joyce had a challenging life, but she was always grateful for her blessings, especially her husband, daughters and her siblings and their families.

She passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2019. She is survived by her daughter, Amyjo, 3 sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews. She will be dearly missed.

A funeral service will be held Friday, April 19, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Burnham Mortuary, with visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow the funeral service at the Eagar Cemetery.