Joyce Johannsen

Joyce Murray Johannsen’s infectious laugh could “stop the show.” Once, during a performance by the Virginia City Players, Joyce’s laughter at the antics onstage turned audience titters to boisterous guffawing at which point the actors gave up on their scene, joined in the laughter, and cautioned her to be careful lest she “strip a gear!”

Despite her diminutive stature, Joyce had an outsized heart that loved people and animals in equal measure. She loved to sing and many people were amazed by how such a small person could produce so much sound. She was friendly, fun-loving and imaginative, a fashionable dresser with a great sense of style, a good cook, tidy housekeeper, and loved nothing more than being with family. Above all, she was modest, never believing that she was in any way special or had talents and skills worth admiring.

She died on January 23, 2017 following a brief illness at Liberty Medical Center in Chester where she had resided since 2011.

Born Alice Joyce Sciacqua on February 9, 1919 in Stockett, Montana to immigrant parents, she was the youngest of three sisters. Her father John came from Lucca, Italy and her mother Mabel came from Killarney, Manitoba. They met and were married in Stockett by William Wesley “Brother Van” Orsdel, the pioneer Methodist circuit riding preacher. Stockett was a scrappy coal mining town, but immigrants from all over the world gave it a cosmopolitan flavor. Growing up in such a melting pot developed Joyce’s love of people and ability to see the world through others’ eyes. She loved to recall childhood memories like seeing bushels of grapes arrive in the fall that her father and his friends made into wine, and how she helped out by stomping grapes. Her mother taught her to “cook Italian,” so Joyce adopted what is now called the Mediterranean diet early in life. Her kitchen was always stocked with garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese. Like her English-Canadian mother, Joyce was a lifelong tea drinker. She cherished visiting with a friend over a cup of strong black tea in one of the pretty bone china cups she collected.

Joyce attended school in Stockett and Centerville. She was active in the 4-H Winners Clothing Club in Stockett and high school years found her in the Glee Club, Drama and Speech Club, and Home Economics Club. She was baptized and a member of the Stockett Methodist Church. When she graduated from Centerville High School in 1938, she planned to attend Kinman Business College in Spokane, but an aunt convinced her that teaching and working with students would be more fulfilling than office work. So, she attended the Great Falls College of Education to earn a two-year diploma.

Upon graduation, Joyce moved to the Sweetgrass Hills where she taught for two years at the Parsell School. Here she met and married Burnham Murray, the eldest son of a Sweetgrass Hills pioneer. Together, they built a thriving grocery store, crude oil refinery, and Texaco service station in Whitlash where they enjoyed serving their friends and customers. Joyce showed her flair for entertaining by singing and acting in home talent plays produced at the Whitlash Community Hall. Joyce loved the movies, so the Murrays initiated movie nights at their store which featured Hollywood films, shorts, and cartoons run on a 16 mm projector. She was also an active member in the Home Demonstration Club and the Whitlash Presbyterian Church where “Brother Van” Orsdel had once served the community as part of his circuit.

During WWII, Joyce and Burnham left the Sweetgrass Hills to work for the war effort in Brigham City, Utah and Great Falls. Returning to Whitlash after the war, they started a family, and expanded their business to include sales of Ford tractors and Dearborn farm equipment. Again, Joyce’s wit and imagination added spark to their endeavor. She won a contest in 1951 sponsored by the Ford distribution center in Billings to name a fledgling newsletter for dealers in Montana and Wyoming; her winning entry was the “Wymont Buzzer.” For their Whitlash and Canadian border customers, the Murrays began an annual 4th of July celebration featuring the “Columbia Express” (a new Ford tractor pulling a new hay wagon filled with delighted kids). One of the day’s highlights was crowning an Independence Day queen with a glittering crown made by Joyce.

In 1954, the Murrays moved their farm implement business to Chester where they established the Tiber Tractor Company, and by 1955, Joyce, Burnham, and their two children made a new home in Chester. Joyce devoted most of her time to homemaking. She joined the Republican Women’s Club, serving in all its officer posts. She was an active member of the Chester United Methodist Church and the Women’s Society of Christian Service, serving many years as church finance secretary. She sang first soprano in the church choir. During the 1970s, she was active in the Chester Senior Center, the Council of Aging, and served three years on the Sweet Grass Lodge Board of Directors.

Throughout her life, Joyce raised and loved many dogs and cats. Her French Poodle Champagne is still remembered. “Chamie” loved to ride in Joyce’s car and drivers passing her thought she was waving at them when what they were really seeing was Chamie’s tail wagging in the back seat behind Joyce’s head.

Joyce also loved to travel, and made many trips in the U.S. visiting her grown children. Her trips abroad included Italy, Panama, Canada, Spain, and Morocco where she rode a camel!

Following Burnham’s death in 1974, Joyce remained in Chester until her marriage to Russell Johannsen in 1982. They made their home on the Johannsen farm at Sunburst. Joyce embraced her new family of three grown children and four grandchildren and enjoyed the seasonal rhythms of living on the farm. She was active in the Sunburst Methodist Church and the VFW Auxiliary. Russell’s death in 2000 prompted her move back to Chester where she lived until her death.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Connie and Vivian, both of her husbands, stepson Gary Burnham “Bill” Murray, stepdaughter Nona Byrne, and niece Carol Thorson Weese. She is survived by her son Gregg “Alex” Murray of Billings and daughter Glee (“Kit” Muller) Murray of Washington, DC, grandchildren Heather (Joe) Murray-Wollen of Lincoln, NE, and Shannon Murray of Arvada, CO; stepchildren Cleve (Jonette) Johannsen of Sunburst and Barb Johannsen of Monrovia, CA and their families; step-granddaughter Kim Byrne Hartman, WI; and niece Sharon (Neil) Snyder and nephew Gary (Pauletta) Byers, both of Great Falls, and their families.

A memorial service will be held May 5 at 11:00 a.m. at the Chester United Methodist Church followed by interment in the Chester Cemetery and luncheon at the church. Arrangements are being handled by Rockman Funeral Chapel.

Memorials may be made to the Chester United Methodist Church, Hi-Line Health Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, or the charity of your choice.