JOYCE BARKUS obituary

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - Joyce Elaine Barkus, 83, former owner-manager of the Coast to Coast Store in Havre, died on Thursday, June 3, 2004, of natural causes at her home in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

A memorial service for Joyce was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the First Presbyter-ian Church in Havre, followed by a fellowship at the Havre Vets Club.

Joyce was born in

Tagus, N.D., to LeRoy and Martha (Allers) Larsen on Oct. 21, 1920. Her mother died in 1922. Later her father married Martha's sister, Lucille, and blessed Joyce with five siblings.

Joyce grew up in North Dakota and graduated from St. John High School and Minot Business College. She worked for the Great Northern Railway until her marriage to Duane L. Barkus on Oct. 29, 1944, in Granville, N.D.

They lived in New Rockford, N.D., where they ran a hardware store. In 1948, they moved to Havre to open the Coast to Coast Store, now Barkus Home Center. Joyce worked at the store with her husband and later with her son Murray until 2001, when she became ill and moved to Coeur d'Alene.

Joyce enjoyed sewing, crossword puzzles, reading, cooking, traveling, bowling and collecting birds and plates. She was a member of the Daughters of the Nile, Eastern Star, the First Presbyterian Church and the Soroptimist Club.

Last week, Joyce visited Havre for a family gathering. The weekend will be treasured by many.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Duane in 1976; brother, Ken Larsen; sister, Detta Nelson; and grandson, Ryan Barkus.

Survivors include her children, Greg (Kathy) Barkus of Kalispell, Murray (Delaine) Barkus of Havre, Laurie (Larry) Schwenke of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Janie (Steve) Hedstrom of Havre and Liz (Don) McIntosh of Havre; sister, Pat (John) Miller of St. Paul, Minn.; brother, Keith (Karen) Larsen of Rochester, Minn.; sister, Mardi (Ron) Overland of Moorhead, Minn.; brother-in-law, Neil (Ruth) Barkus of Jamestown, N.D.; 13 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews, nieces and friends.

Memorials in Joyce's honor may be made to the Shriner's Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 2472 Spokane, WA 99210-2472, or to a charity of one's choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of Holland and Bonine Funeral Home in Havre.