Joyce Prather, age 83, passed into the arms of Jesus surrounded by family on November 30, 2021, at her home in Jamestown, KS.  She was born May 2, 1938, in Dodge City, Kansas, the second of five children to Henry Julius (Jude) Neufeld and Elsie (Hiebert) Neufeld.  She grew up on a farm near Ingalls, KS.

The love of family and religious faith formed Joyce from her earliest days.  She accepted Jesus through baptism at age 11 at the Scott County Lake and became a member of the Ingalls Mennonite Brethren Church.

After graduating from Ingalls High School in 1956, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in teaching from Tabor College in 1962.  She started teaching after her second year at Tabor and finished school while teaching at Copeland, KS.  She then taught in Halstead, KS, while attending summer classes at Fort Hay's State University working towards a Master's degree. At Fort Hays, Joyce and Janice Prather (sister to Vaughn) became good friends.  Janice invited Joyce home to Randall, where Joyce and Vaughn initially met.  They became reacquainted at the wedding of Janice (Prather) and Larry Cross in August 1966, and began a courtship that lasted a lifetime.

Vaughn says he waited until the "11 ^th hour" to talk to Joyce and nearly missed his opportunity.  Then, after the wedding, Vaughn wrote Joyce a letter inviting her to attend the Kansas State Fair with him.  He sent the letter thinking he invited a month ahead of time and there would be plenty of time for her to answer.  On the other end, the envelope to Joyce was misplaced by a roommate and a coffee cup set upon it.  When Joyce finally got his letter there wasn't time to mail a response so she called all the local phone exchanges at Randall, Beloit, and Concordia before reaching the Jamestown-Scottsville exchange to call Vaughn back and accept his invitation.

On July 28, 1967, Joyce married Vaughn Prather at the Cimmaron MB Church in a ceremony officiated by her uncle Alvin Neufeld.  The couple moved onto the family farm south of Randall, KS. After teaching for a year in Jamestown, KS, Joyce dedicated herself to be a full-time farm wife and active mother, raising their three children.

Well known as a wonderful cook, Joyce introduced Vaughn to zwiebacks and bierocks, which remain family favorites. Her love of cooking was passed down to the grandchildren who often begged to cook or bake something when they came to visit.

From her earliest days, Joyce enjoyed singing and listening to Christian music with her parents and siblings at home. She actively participated in the choir of every church she joined. Despite dementia making conversations difficult, she knew the words to most hymns in church and continued to sing with Pastor Al when he visited into her very last days.

Joyce and Vaughn's church memberships over their 54-year marriage included the Scottsville Community Church, Jewell Christian Church, Concordia Baptist Church and Concordia First Christian Church.  Joyce had a great love of books and she spent countless hours cataloging and maintaining both the Concordia Baptist and Christian Church libraries.

Joyce enjoyed traveling and the couple honeymooned in Salt Lake City; took the boys to Texas to visit family; and took fourteen Prudent bus tours.  They took a 25 ^th Anniversary trip to Kansas City, and a 40 ^th Anniversary trip to the Black Hills.  They celebrated their 50 ^th Anniversary with family and friends in July 2017, at the First Christian Church in Concordia.

Several of the grandchildren were cared for by Grandma Joyce during their younger years while their parents worked. She also helped grandchildren with reading and homework after school.

Joyce never believed in being idle.  She was an avid seamstress -- making clothes for the children, grandchildren, and later doll clothes for the granddaughters.

Joyce spent countless hours completing counted cross-stitch, knitting, crochet, and plastic canvas projects.  Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren have spent hours of time playing with the complete doll house, including furniture, she made out of plastic canvas.

Although Joyce managed to work on a few plastic canvas projects into mid-November, her activity of choice in recent years has been WordSearch puzzles, which she would sit and do hours at a time.

Throughout her years, Joyce had a servant heart, and was a constant caregiver to family and companion to Vaughn.

Twenty-two months younger than her sister, Vida, Joyce joined Vida in heaven exactly two years after Vida's passing on November 30, 2019.  What a rejoicing they had with each other and loved ones.

Joyce is survived by her husband, Vaughn, of Jamestown, KS, three children: Carl (Kay) Prather of Randall, KS, Leon Prather of Manhattan, KS, and Julie Prather of Topeka, KS; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Kari (Garrett) Wilson of Manhattan; Erika Prather and Karsyn of Concordia; Elsie Prather of Logan; Caitlin Strong, Andrew Prather, and Aron "Joe" Prather, of Randall; Alysia Strong and Jaiden and Josiah of Beloit; Kelly Castillo Prather and Kelsey, Kelvin, and Addyson, of Grand Island, NE; Shalynne (DJ) Jenneman and Gabriella, MaKenna, Tatum, and Zayne of Grand Island, NE; Jynneen (Adam) Hinrickus and Logan, Layne, and Lance of Grand Island, NE; Lynndsi Strong and Jayson, Ayden, and Pal of Puyallup, WA; and Kylianna Roy and Gatley, Langh, Mathouk, and Johnna of Omaha, NE.

Her sister, Karen (Elgie) Friesen, Wellington, CO; brother JD (Sylvia) Neufeld, Sand Springs, OK; sister-in-law Maxine Neufeld, Garden City, KS, nieces, nephews. Her sisters-in-law, Winifred (Lewis) Pearsall, of Sandia Park, NM; Janice (Larry) Cross, of Wichita, KS; and brother-in-law, Harold Prather, of Beloit, KS.

She is preceded in death by her parents, sister and brother-in-law, Vida and Vernon Bartel, brother, Melvin Neufeld, and sister-in-law, Shirley Prather.

The family selected cremation and burial of the cremains will be at 9:30 am, Saturday, December 11, 2021 at the Scottsville Cemetery, Scottsville, KS with a Celebration of Life service will at 11:00 am, Saturday at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia, KS with Pastor Al Paredes officiating.  Friends may sign the register book from 1-8 pm with the family greeting friends from 6-7 pm on Friday, December 10, 2021 all at the funeral home.  The family suggests memorials to the Scottsville Community Church, Gideons International or the donor's choice in care of the funeral home.  For online condolences, please visit www.chaputbuoy.com .  Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, 325 W. 6 ^th St., PO Box 606, Concordia, KS 66901 is in charge of arrangements.