OBITUARY:
Following a nearly 9 month battle with cancer, Sharon Joyce (Minton) Lunde passed away on July 2, 2019.
Joyce was born in Albany, OR on February 20, 1944 to Gerald and Margaret Minton.She was the middle of 7 children.As a young girl she loved her early years in Ocean Lake, OR and she asked Jesus into her heart at the age of 4.She loved God and her family.Joyce also enjoyed canoeing on E. Devil’s Lake, helping her brothers clean ducks that they had shot before school, playing dolls with her sisters and it was there that she discovered her love of swans and reading.
At the age of 16, her family moved to Pendleton, OR where she spent her junior and senior year of high school.She made some special friends and learned to hunt and horseback ride.Following graduation, Joyce moved to Seattle, WA where she lived with her brother and sister, Mark and Marilyn, and worked at Kenneth Toby Insurance.She learned to shop and took the opportunity to buy a new pair of shoes with every paycheck.Joyce joined the choir at Philadelphia Church and soon enrolled at Seattle Bible School.A young man named Craig noticed she was in the choir, and after asking her out 19 times, they went on their first date in May of 1967.Craig Lunde also attended Seattle Bible College and was on his way to getting a BA in Theology.
Craig and Joyce were married on June 20, 1968.They welcomed their first daughter, Kara, in 1970.Following Craig’s graduation, and eager to minister, they accepted their first assignment in 1971 to Youth Pastor in Lincoln City, OR.There they welcomed their son Jason in 1974.They enjoyed serving the church and loved hunting and fishing. They continued to follow God’s calling and in 1974 accepted a position at Brooks Assembly of God Church.In 1977 they welcomed their 2nd daughter Lori.In 1979, Craig and Joyce answered a call to Senior Pastor their first church in Knappa, OR.Joyce was a behind the scenes gal.She loved working with the ladies to put on teas and various events, yet was rarely up front leading the group.She led Children’s Church for several years.God created her to be a perfect partner in ministry.It was in Knappa that Joyce started a floral business and provided flowers and arrangements for several weddings.
In 1985 they moved to Moscow, ID and pioneered Grace Community Church. They were also honored to Pastor in Shady Cove, OR, Snohomish, WA, Milton-Freewater, OR, Keizer, OR and Sweet Home, OR.Together they enjoyed over 50 years of fishing, camping, travel and time with friends and family.
Joyce was a beloved wife, mom, grandma, daughter, sister and friend.She loved her family, and the outdoors.She was artistic, loved gardening, sewing, playing the piano, baking and anything crafty.She was a hard worker and had a great sense of humor. Most of all she delighted in serving her family and God.
She was preceded in death by her parents Gerald and Margaret Minton, her brother Mark, sister Jeanne, sister in law Sheila, niece Beth, and her husband Craig.
She is survived by her daughter Kara (Korry) Fairfield, their children Madison, Kellen & Isaac; son Jason (Melissa) Lunde, their children Tyson & Kylee; daughter Lori (Scott) Hedlund, their children Ocean (Ruthie), Caspian, Zion, Cayman, Ava, Laia, Zaiden, Ezariah, great-grand daughter Penny; brother Jed, sister Marilyn (Pat) Wahl, sister in law Eva, brother Steve (Sue), sister Etty (Ken) Blaney, and several nieces and nephews.
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