Joyce Barnes

Joyce Needham Barnes, 89, passed away peacefully on November 22nd.

A private family burial will be followed by visitation (3-4pm) and Scripture Service (4pm) at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel of Sioux City on Tuesday, November 28th.

Joyce’s early years were in Elburn, Il. One of six children of the late Lloyd Needham, a packing industry pioneer, and his wife Edna Johnson Needham, her family relocated often across the Midwest, and she spent her high school years in Glenwood, IA.  She graduated from The University of Iowa where she met her husband of over six decades, the late Dr. Wayne Barnes of Washington, IA.

Prior to Joyce’s major lifework - motherhood - she enjoyed her occupational therapy career in Florida. In 1960, Joyce and Wayne moved to Sioux City.  She raised seven children while pursuing multiple creative, charitable and civic endeavors.

Joyce was Wayne’s ‘wind beneath his wings’ and dedicated her life to inspiring and supporting her family’s many passions. She excelled at teaching her kids the art of living, all the while creating a home of warmth, laughter and love. She gleamed her children to be her most important and fulfilling assets. With seven children teasing who was the favorite, she tenderly teased each one, depending on the day of the week. Her legacy of inherent family values will flourish in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Joyce was the pillar, the mastermind, the memory maker. 

Joyce found balance in her active family life through her creativity and social nature.  She established two businesses, one that enabled her to create and sew soft sculptures and the other, corporate gift buying.  She loved entertaining and for decades orchestrated décor, culinary and holiday events for family and friends. She and Wayne travelled extensively in the United States as well as internationally.   

Joyce was preceded in death in 2020 by her husband Wayne.  Left to honor and cherish her memory are her seven children:  Dr. Mark & Laura Barnes, Melinda & Mark Krause, Michael Barnes & Nathalie Chandler, Michelle Barnes & Rick Taylor, Dr. Melissa Peters, Matthew & Stefani Barnes, and Marnie & Patrick Brockamp.  Joyce also had 10 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and several step great-grandchildren.

The Barnes family would like to express their appreciation to the caring staff of Stoneybrook Suites and Hospice of Siouxland Palliative Care program.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Carmelite Nuns of Sioux City.

In the circle of life, accepting our loving mother into His kingdom, we find comfort that our parents are together again.