Joyce Ellen Nisula

   Joyce Ellen Nisula of Emmett, Idaho, formerly of Lake Fork passed away on December 25,2021, of a short illness. Born prematurely at her grandparents’ home in Lake Fork, Idaho on July 28,1934, Joyce the only child born to her late parents, William (Bill) Maki and Virginia I. (Stenberg) Maki. Virginia was staying with her parents to help with haying while Bill was in the mountains building a fire lookout. When Bill returned, he marveled she was tiny enough to wear his wedding ring as an armband. Joyce grew up helping in the garden, cooking for hay crews, and milking cows.

   She began her education in a one room school next door where she learned English as a second language, with Finnish being her first. Two weeks after graduating from McCall-Donnelly High School in 1952, she married her high school sweetheart James P. (Hoot, Jim) Nisula on May 25, 1952, in the Finn Church near Lake Fork, Idaho. She promptly forgot how to milk cows. Jim and Joyce had two children, Cathy and Steve.  Jim and Joyce lived most of their married life south of Lake Fork on the highway. Jim preceded her in death on June 24, 2015, after a long struggle with Parkinson’s.

   Joyce worked 22 years as a secretary for the Valley County Extension Office in Donnelly, Idaho, this job included working for both the Home Economics and Agriculture agents, providing the Fair Board and 4-H camp board, the Payette River Cattlemen’s board, and the Valley County Weed Control Board with secretarial and bookkeeping services. Before the Master Gardener and Master Canning programs were developed Joyce answered many questions from the public when the agents were out of the office, studying University of Idaho books for answers and, as a last resort, she contacted her mother, “Virg”, who studied constantly in these two fields.

   With their children and best friend, The Berheims, Joyce and Jim spent many weekends camping, riding horseback in the back country, and riding bikes and snowmobiles. When they slowed down after retirement, they spend winters in Yuma, Arizona.

   In addition to her parents and husband, Joyce is predeceased by a great granddaughter. Joyce is survived by her children Cathy (Kevin) Bee and Steve (Debbi) Nisula, grandchildren Joni (Brian) Henson, Shane (Jennifer) Nisula, Staci (Drew) Harris, Sarah (Alex) Kroll, and Paula (Shane) Hicks, greatgrandchildren Cathline (Caeden) Hess, Zachary Hicks, Claire Harris, Kirsten Hicks, Tyson Harris, Aaron Hicks, Chase Henson, Ellie Hicks and Chase Nisula, and one great-great grandson James Hess.

  Services for Joyce will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 8, 2021 at the Fin Church in Lake Fork, Idaho.  Viewing will be the evening prior, Friday, January 7, 2021 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the Potter Funeral Chapel in Emmett. The casket will be opened following the services at the fin church for those in attendance.

  In memory of Joyce, give to your favorite children’s charity.

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