Joyce Elaine (Fraser) Mefford

Former Hastings, NE resident Joyce Elaine (Fraser) Mefford, 90, went to join her beloved husband Don, in heaven on Sunday, October 8, 2023, at Genoa Long-Term Care, Genoa, NE. 

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, October 12, at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings with Rev. Damen Jensen-Heitmann officiating. Burial will be at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Those who wish to remember Joyce in a special way may make gifts in her memory to Start Over Rover, 134 N Barnes Avenue, Hastings, NE 68901. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home's website. To view the service, go to Joyce’s obituary and click the play button shown towards the bottom of the page.

Joyce was born August 31, 1933, on a farm near Bladen, NE to the late Howard LeRoy “Roy” and Lucille Ann (Richison) Fraser. She graduated from Bladen High School in 1951.

Joyce and Don met on a blind date during her junior year in high school and never parted until Don passed in 2007. Joyce was united in marriage to Donald L. Mefford at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, NE on March 5, 1952. From this union two children were born, Allen L. Mefford and Jannelle E. Carlson. They spent their first married years in Denver, CO and Council Bluffs, IA. They returned to Hastings, NE in 1957.

Joyce was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, a past member of WIBA Bowling League, and a past member of the Postal Clerks Auxiliary. Joyce and Don were delegates to the postal conventions many times.

Joyce was a full-time homemaker and enjoyed caring for her family and home. She took great care of her appearance and loved high-heeled shoes. At the age of forty, Joyce studied hard and passed her driver’s license test. With her new independence, she was able to go shopping by herself in her red 1968 Toyota Corona. After the kids left home, Joyce and Don decided a cat in the house was okay. This continued a lifelong love of cats ending with Missy Cat in the nursing home. Music was always an important part of Joyce’s life and she loved playing the organ as a mall demonstrator and for her own enjoyment. They enjoyed traveling to collect antiques, bowling, and attending her grandchildren’s activities. She loved her family and pet cats. Joyce could be stubborn but could be swayed by chocolate. Joyce was spunky to the end and grew very attached to the nurses and aides at Genoa Long Term Care.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Lucille Fraser; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Ethel (Swingle) and Carl Mefford; husband, Donald Leland Mefford; son, Allen Lee Mefford; sister, Darlene Engel; and brothers-in-law, Dean VanBoening, Bill Mefford, Kenny Mefford, and Chet Engel.

SURVIVORS:

Daughter & Son-in-law:        
    Jannelle & Don Carlson – Genoa, NE

Grandchildren & Spouses:    
    Lucas & Stephanie Carlson

    Brock Carlson

    Benjamin & Ashley Carlson – all of Genoa, NE

Great-Grandchildren:            
    Knox Carlson

    Briggs Carlson

    Palmer Carlson

    Andi Carlson

    Samuel Carlson

Brother & Spouse:                 
    Terry & Sharon Fraser – Hastings, NE

Sisters-in-law:                       
    Judy Mefford – Waco, TX

    Esther Mefford – Clarksville, TN

Many Nieces & Nephews