JOYCE WESBROOKS, 88, Deming resident passed away early morning August 17, 2016 at Willow Manor.

Joyce was born May 4, 1928 in Medicine Lodge, Kansas to May Isabel Axtell and Darius V. Woodward.

She moved to Deming in 1943 and graduated from Deming High School in 1946. She received both her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Western New Mexico University in Silver City and was an elementary school teacher at Memorial School until she retired in 1985.

Joyce was a founding member of Friends of the Library and served as the president of that organization for two years. She had been an active member of Deming's First United Methodist Church since 1953.

Survivors include 2 sons, William Wesbrooks and his spouse Dallett Norris of Santa Fe, NM, Wesley Wesbrooks of Tijeras, NM; 3 grandchildren, J.J., Ryan and Robert Sweetser; and in Deming 2 nieces, Deloris Hawkins, Carol Wootton and a nephew, Dan Measday.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Darius and May Woodward and her husband, Bill Wesbrooks to whom she was married for 67 years.

A memorial service will be held Monday afternoon August 22, 2016 at 2 o'clock at the First United Methodist Church with Pastor Ernie Vineyard officiating. Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Baca's Mimbres Crematory.