A dedicated champion of San Juan County, Joyce Adams Martin, former owner and editor of the San Juan  Record,  passed suddenly and peacefully on the morning of March 13, 2012, while exercising with her cousin, Donna Washburn.  Mercifully, Joyce was able to live her life fully to the end.  As an active long-time resident of Monticello, Joyce touched the lives of many people, and she will be deeply missed.

 Everyone who knew Joyce and would like to gather to remember her is invited to a time for reminiscing from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at the Monticello LDS Stake Center on Saturday, March 24.  Her four children look forward to hearing your stories about their beloved mother.

 At 11:30 a.m., Joyce’s nephew, Bishop Bruce Adams, will lead a celebration of her life of service to her family, friends and community.  All of Joyce’s many friends are most welcome to join her large extended family in a ceremony of honor.

Joyce was born on November 13, 1929, in Moab, Utah, to Joseph William Adams and Dora (Black) Adams.  A grandchild of Utah pioneers, Joyce lived at a ranch known as Carlisle, north of Monticello, in a small two-room home without running water or electricity.  Her family moved to town when Joyce started school, building a large modern home during the Great Depression.  After the passing of Joyce’s parents, she returned to her Monticello childhood home.  Joyce lovingly maintained and restored the home and its gardens for the past 35 years, in devotion to  her  parents’ memory, until her own death at the age of 82.

In 1951, Joyce graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts degree.  Her studies centered on English, music, education, and art.  Joyce taught high school and college writing courses, and mentored many more students in music, art, writing, and history competitions.  Joyce was  also a teacher of Life, helping siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many others to be curious, to  think logically, to increase  vocabulary, to speak and write articulately, to be creative, to be fit, to be open to new experiences,  and to appreciate drama, opera, classical music, and dance.

From 1980 to 1995, Joyce and her sister, Ingrid, owned and operated the county newspaper, the San Juan Record, winning many state newspaper awards for their efforts.  Joyce spent countless hours covering local government, school activities and family events.  Many former residents subscribed to keep up with the hometown news.  Joyce loved to prepare the April Fool’s edition, full of prank articles, but she created quite a stir when some did not realize her story about a McDonald’s Golden Arches restaurant being built at the entrance to Arches National Park was a joke.

Joyce was a true cowgirl at heart, and she was happiest when riding horses and herding cows.  She was an accomplished athlete, playing a mean game of tennis and golf.  Joyce was an excellent swimmer, participating in water ballet and demonstrations of synchronized swimming, and in her later years, competing in swimming at the Senior Olympics.  She also loved to hike, camp, ski and read.  Joyce was always reading.

Homemaking was highly important to Joyce, and she was an excellent cook, baker, seamstress, decorator, and gardener.  She won many awards for her flowers at the San Juan County Fair.  Joyce’s other  passions included travel, playing bridge, painting, playing the piano and saxophone, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, playing Scrabble and cribbage, and working to improve the Monticello library, the Monticello Museum and the Bluff Fort  history project.  Joyce was appointed by Governor Leavitt to the Utah State Library Board, serving from 1997 to 2001.

Joyce’s greatest legacy was the countless hours she spent providing care for injured or ill family members.  Her courage, optimism and tenderness was inspirational to those who were so benefitted by her help and incredibly hard work.

Surviving Joyce are her children Rae Jean Martin Melton of Springfield, Oregon; Steven K. Martin (Cindy) of South Jordan, Utah; Calvin L. Martin (Sandy) of Alta Loma, California; Douglas L. Martin (Tia) of Fishers, Indiana;  her eight grandchildren and four great- grandchildren; and her siblings Lynn Adams of Monticello,  Utah;  Laree Jensen (Steve) of Orem, Utah; John Adams (Joanne) of Denver, Colorado; David Adams (Karen) of Monticello, Utah.  Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Dora Adams;   her sister,   Ingrid  K.  Adams;   her brothers ,  Joseph Conrad and Larry Patton;  her niece, Allison Adams; and her sister-in-law and great friend,  Reta (Bailey)  Adams. istory project