Joy Elaine Day, age 95, of Mondamin, Iowa, heard the words “Welcome Home” and passed into the loving arms of her Lord on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Joy was born on September 9, 1924, to John and Francis Langer. She graduated from TJ High School in Council Bluffs in 1942. On January 14, 1945 she was married to Glenn Day at Grace Presbyterian Church in Council Bluffs, and they began a life-long journey together. Their family was completed with the adoption of daughter Kathy and son Brian. Joy grew up in the country near Council Bluffs during the depression, which instilled in her a life-long work ethic that she carried through her life and taught to her children. True to her work ethic, she worked alongside Glenn whether in the apple orchards of the Loess Hills, on their farmland planting, harvesting and hauling the crops or raising livestock – she was always at his side as a true partner. Joy was a long-time member of the Missouri Valley Church of Christ since her baptism in 1955. Her hands and heart spent many hours in service to the Church as a Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School instructor and preparing countless funeral dinners. One of her greatest joys in life was preparing delicious meals for her family, loved ones and anyone who happened to be around when it was meal time. She loved gardening, crocheting, canning, stitching and of course, baking. She will long be remembered as Mother Day, pie maker extraordinaire. One of her proudest moments was when she was featured on the cover of Our Iowa magazine as “The Pie Lady”. She was a wise lady, whose best advice in marriage was “Plant the seed of an idea in your husband’s mind and then step back and let it grow into his own great idea” – wiser words were never spoken. She loved playing cards, but strictly enforced the rule of no pouting or crying when we lost. True to that rule, she played the cards she was dealt in life, without pouting or crying. She just worked hard to be the best wife, mother and friend she could be.
Joy is preceded in death by her husband, Glenn; parents John and Francis Langer; and sister Jean Fustos.
She is survived by her son Brian of Missouri Valley; daughter Kathy (Jim) Fry of Omaha; lifelong friend (and daughter in her heart) Ruth (Walter) Utman of Modale and their family, who knew her as “Grandma Joy”; as well as nephew Roger (Mary) Fustos of Omaha, brother John Langer of Fremont, sister-in-law Ruth (Bud) Busing of Missouri Valley and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Sunday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 2:00 p.m. at Hennessey Funeral Home in Missouri Valley, Iowa.
In Loving Memory Of
Joy Elaine Day
Born September 9, 1924 Council Bluffs, Iowa
Entered Into Rest March 4, 2020 Missouri Valley, Iowa
Funeral Service
10:00 a.m. Monday, March 9, 2020
Christian Church Missouri Valley, Iowa
Officiating Pastor Ken Fairchild Organist Sharon Shelton
Vocalists
Hillary Stevenson Hannah Blatchford Vocal Selections
“Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone”
Congregational Selections
“How Great Thou Art” “In The Garden”
“The Old Rugged Cross”
Casket Bearers
Walter Utman Kurtis Blatchford
Andrew Stevenson Jim Fry Roger Fustos Bruce Busing
Final Resting Place Woodbine Cemetery Woodbine, Iowa
God saw she was getting tired, And peaceful time was not to be. So He put His arms around her, And whispered, “Come with me”. With tearful eyes we watched her suffer And saw her fade away. Although we loved her dearly, We could not make her stay. A loving heart stopped beating, Hard working hands to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.
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