Joyce Geraldine Heggen Eastlund, 82

Joyce Geraldine Heggen Eastlund, 82, died peacefully on April 13, 2015, at Brendan House in Kalispell after a long illness. 

Joyce was born Sept. 21, 1932, to Fred and Lena Heggen in Saskatchewan, the oldest of five children. Her family moved to Havre, then to Kalispell when she was a young girl. 

Joyce graduated from Flathead County High School in 1950, and three months later married the love of her life, Hollister “Holly” Eastlund. One rarely saw one without the other. Joyce and Holly were married for more than 64 years until Holly passed away last November. They raised two boys, Gary and David. 

Joyce loved being a wife and mother, hosting large family gatherings, entertaining their numerous friends and spending the summers at their cabin on Ashley Lake. She kept a beautiful home, and always managed to make the most of what they had. 

While raising her family, Joyce found time to work outside the home. She worked at Hendrickson Motors, then was a longtime bookkeeper at Bitney’s Furniture, where she developed a long-lasting friendship with the Bitney family. Later she was head teller for several years at First National Bank. 

Playing bridge was always one of her favorite pastimes. For years she played with a close knit group of friends, who did much more than play cards ... parties, birthday luncheons, outings. Any excuse to be together and do something silly and fun was their motto. 

Joyce and Holly enjoyed the last 25 years living at Village Greens, golfing and socializing with many of their lifelong friends as neighbors. There was always a get together at someone’s house! 

Joyce and Holly loved to travel, and were fortunate enough to visit many different places around the world. After retirement, they spent many winters in Arizona, traveling in their RV, and gambling at any and all casinos along the way. But they were always happiest to return to their comfortable home and family and friends in Kalispell. 

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, soul mate Holly, son David, and sister Beryl. 

She is survived by her son, Gary and wife, Ginger, of McMinnville, Oregon; grandchildren, Sam Eastlund of Boise, Idaho, and Sarah Eastlund of Missoula; her siblings, Shirley Lybeck of Kalispell, Wayne Heggen and wife Arlene of Seeley Lake, and Jerry Heggen and wife Kathy of Missoula, brother-in-law, Russ Garvin, of Kalispell; and several nieces and nephews. 

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 17, at Epworth United Methodist Church, Kalispell. Interment will be at Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery. 

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Joyce’s tribute wall.