Joyce Lenore Burr Brown's Obituary
Joyce was born April 28, 1934, in Logan, Utah, to Clifton Ray Burr and Emily Mazel Bryan Burr. She possessed a joyful, resourceful, optimistic, intelligence that marked all she did. When diagnosed with Alzheimer’s she adopted the motto “Come what may, and love it!” She truly did just that through her final journey.
Joyce was the eldest of 8 children, two of whom died as infants. As such, she was a natural caretaker. She was known for being helpful and raised to practice the concept that if a job was to be done, it was to be done well. She was a gifted academic who served as valedictorian of the first graduating class of Union High in Roosevelt, Utah in 1952. She then worked at the Tooele Army Depot after high school and lived with her beloved Aunt June.
Joyce was attending BYU when she met and married her great love, Jerry Brown, in the Salt Lake LDS temple on January 22,1954. It was the blind date that led to 60 years of incredible happiness. Together they raised 7 children. Her stewardship as a mother brought her her greatest satisfaction and meaning in this life. Joyce loved her Savior and serving others. She and Jerry served missions in Thailand, Armenia, the LDS Humanitarian Center, and the LDS Addiction Recovery Program. Joyce loved genealogy and enjoyed her work as a family history librarian and missionary. She was pragmatic, proactive, creative, and hardworking. These mad skills made her an excellent seamstress, gardener, baker, accountant, and the best latrine builder in camp.
Joyce believed anything could be accomplished and she empowered her children to see their own abilities as limitless. She never wasted time on guilt, blame, or gossip. Her life mirrored her advice that “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Her influence came through respect, trust, kindness, compassion, and encouragement. She was the epitome of unconditional love. Everyone grew in her sunshine. Her appreciation for mountains, red rocks, roses, and all nature was spiritual. She enjoyed playing games, going dancing with Jerry, holding babies, and learning any and every new thing. One of her greatest joys was her monthly “sibber” dinner with her siblings and their spouses. She exercised regularly for 40 years, ate bran muffins daily, always flossed, enforced seat belts since their invention, watched her cholesterol, cleaned behind the fridge, and was a Zumba goddess until her last months. She also loved chocolate chip cookies, thrill rides, fireworks, travel, hiking, and was as buoyantly unsinkable in life as she was in the pool.
Her last words were “thank you” and her final food was See’s candy. She is survived and forever revered by her beloved husband; her children, Vicki Armantrout (Mark), Karen Bludorn (Rich), Randy (Laurie), Cliff (Irene), Renae Haddadin (Muhannad), and Diane Moore (Christopher); 24 grandchildren; 27 great grandchildren; and 4 siblings, and their spouses Wesley Burr (Ruth Joy), Edna Prigmore (Marv), Bryan Burr (Gayle), and Brenda Baird (Allan). She is now rekindling precious relationships with her son, David; her sister, Ruth; 3 grandsons; her parents; and many others. The world will never know another soul like Joyce.
Come and celebrate her life with us on Thursday, February 13th at 11am at the Union Fort 3rd Ward, 6710 S. 1300 E. Viewing at 9:45. Additional viewing will be on Wednesday, February, 12th 6:30-8:00 pm. The family expresses gratitude to Jolene, Lisa, and the staff at Solstice Hospice for their exceptionally loving care.
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