Joyce Fern Rubert, 89, passed away on Tuesday, March 6 after a long and happy life filled with family, church, art and music which were the bedrock on which she built her life. She was the last child born to the large family of Olivia May Gilbert and Stafford Lee Sims. She graduated from Central High and married Euell J. Rubert, her high school sweetheart in 1945. Together, they had many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom she treasured along with their spouses. Joyce poured her energy into her family for her entire life, enjoying, encouraging and nurturing their wide-ranging talents. She embraced the career path of every family member and each of their accomplishments – large or small – was the constant subject of her love and attention.

Joyce was a devoted lifelong member of First and Calvary Presbyterian church where she sang in the choir for nearly 40 years. She inherited her musical talent from her father who taught shape-note singing in the Ozarks. Even when Joyce was no longer able to attend the church service regularly, she continued to enjoy the choir's music and listened to it weekly along with a playlist of hymns. She was also an active member of her Christ Care group and often credited their loving support for helping her through both difficult and joyous times. Joyce was forever grateful for the friendships she made there.

In addition to her family and church, Joyce was active in the Springfield community. She quickly grew to like everyone she met and was known for her loving and gracious spirit.  She was a member of the Springfield Art Museum's group Les Arts de Mardi from its inception.  She attended every First Friday Art Walk possible at the Idea-X-Factory, a downtown creative arts center founded by her son Russ Rubert and his wife Pam. She was also a 20-year member of Springfield Sister Cities Association and was active in Friends of the Garden. Joyce passed along her love of the creative arts to each new generation in the family.

Joyce is preceded in death by her beloved husband Euell, her sons, David and Rick and her siblings, Tressie, Albert, Clara, Kermit, Margaret, Stanley and Louis. Joyce is survived by her sister, Bonnie Woodall, and five children, Sue Savage-Rumbaugh of Springfield, Lao Rubert and her husband, Steve Schewel of Durham, NC, Elizabeth Rubert Pugh and her husband Sam Pugh of Des Moines, IA, Mark Rubert of Bethesda, MD, and Russ Rubert and his wife Pam Rubert of Springfield. Her grandchildren (and their spouses) are Shane Savage-Rumbaugh and his wife Stacy Latt Savage, Chris Rubert and his wife Amy Rubert, Abe Rubert Schewel and his wife Lauren Lee Pettiette Schewel, Solomon Rubert-Schewel, Heather Housh and her husband Ryan Housh, and Julia, Kira and Adam Rubert; and great grand-children, Eli, Lao Elizabeth and Tai Rubert and Martha Dylan Savage. She is also survived by her niece Paula Deschamp and many other nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to Integrity Home Care for the help, care and attention they provided during Joyce's final years.

The service to celebrate the life of Joyce Rubert will be held at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church at 1 pm on Thursday, March 15. The family will receive friends after the service followed by internment at Hazelwood Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 6 – 8 pm on Wednesday, March 14 at Gorman-Scharpf funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joyce's honor to the Music Ministries fund of First and Calvary Presbyterian Church (820 E Cherry St, Springfield Mo. 65804), the Idea-X-Factory Joyce Rubert fund, care of SRAC (411 N Sherman Pkwy, Springfield, MO  65802) and SMMA, Springfield Art Museum (1111 E Brookside Dr., Springfield, Mo 65807).