On Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015, Joyce Ann (Brand) Ruble, an amazing woman, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, passed away. Joyce, 83, was living at Riverside Health Care Center when she died of natural causes.

Joyce was born to Theodore and Margaret Brand in Albert Lea on Feb. 24, 1932. She graduated from Albert Lea High School on June 5, 1950. She then continued on in school at College of Medical Technology in Minneapolis and graduated in 1951. Joyce was an X-ray tech for a few years, before marrying Clifford “Norman” Ruble on March 20, 1955, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hollandale. She was quite busy raising her three children in San Diego, California. She shuttled her children to their many school events, baseball and softball practices and games, bowling leagues, piano lessons and church activities. In addition to being the family taxi driver, she was named team mother for her son’s baseball team, volunteered as Little League baseball club corresponding secretary, was actively involved in the PTA board at her children’s school and served as a Sunday school teacher in their local church.

Cliff, Joyce and family moved to Bonner, Montana, in January 1971. Joyce and Cliff lived up the Blackfoot on Rainbow Bend for 34 years, before moving into Missoula, Montana, in 2005. While living up the Blackfoot, Joyce was involved with the home extension club in Potomac, 4H Club and faithfully attended the women’s Bible study group at Bonner Lutheran Church.

Joyce enjoyed knitting and sewing. She entered many of her projects into the county fair. She was also passionate about snowmobiling, bowling, gardening, hiking and playing pinochle. Joyce and Cliff were actively involved with the Snow-goers and Drift-riders snowmobile clubs and Pinochle clubs at the senior citizen community centers in both Missoula and Seeley Lake, Montana. They also enjoyed participating in bowling leagues at Westside Lanes. As a grandmother, Joyce attended basketball and baseball events along with school concerts and recitals for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by many. Her family finds peace in knowing that she and her husband are together once again in heaven.

Joyce is survived by her sister, Janice (Keith) Klinksiek, of Elmore; daughter, Dee Ann (Herb) Ellis, of Choteau, Montana; son, Clifford Allen Ruble, of Missoula; son, Daniel (Susan) Ruble, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; grandchildren Brodie (Erin) Ellis of Missoula, Corinne Ellis of Seattle, Wyatt Ellis of Payson, Arizona, and Bonnie, Matthew, and Christopher Ruble of Cedar Rapids; and great-grandchildren Hayden and Natalie Ellis of Missoula; brothers-in-law Warren VanRiper of Albert Lea and Darwin Knudtson of Geneseo, Illinois; sisters-in-law Janice Ruble of Albert Lea and Phyllis “Fifi” Hendrickson of Albuquerque, New Mexico; many nieces and nephews; and a host of longtime friends.

She is preceded in death by the love of her life, Clifford “Norman” Ruble; her father and mother Theodore and Margaret Brand; sisters Elgene VanRiper and Rita Knudtson; brothers George “Bud” Hendrickson and Theodore “Teddy” Brand; nephew, David Knudtson; in-laws Clifford and Dagmar Ruble; and brothers-in-law Glen (Maureen), Elton and David Ruble.

A combined service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula for both Joyce and her husband, Clifford “Norman” Ruble.

Condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.