Joyce worked as a cashier and bookkeeper at the local Piggly Wiggly prior to her retirement. She was also a member of St. Peter’s Cathedral Catholic Church in Belleville, IL. Throughout her life, she enjoyed baking and cooking, shopping, traveling to Florida, and visiting the beauty shop to have her hair done every Friday. But no matter what, she always marched to the beat of her own drum. Joyce was always camera-ready; every outfit perfectly coordinated to each holiday, complete with matching jewelry and clip-on earrings (because she never wanted holes in her ears). She loved to celebrate Christmas, filling her home with decorations and angels at every turn. On the Fourth of July, you were guaranteed to find her with a sparkler in each hand once the sun went down. Her sassy personality and tell-it-like-it-is advice brightened up every conversation, but the only thing that was stronger than her wit was the love she had for her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Norma, nee Shook, Haberl; two brothers, Wilbert (Merdi) Haberl and Marvin Haberl; a brother-in-law, Victor Helfrich; and two sisters-in-law, Erna Rose (Edward) Dial and Pat Haberl.
Surviving are her husband of 65 years, Stanley Lehr, whom she married on January 15, 1955;
two daughters, Rhonda Sue Shapiro of Madison, WI, and Roxane Joy (Mike) Dinga of Belleville, IL;
a son, Brent (Mary Ann) Lehr of Normal, IL;
nine grandchildren, Ross (Karli) Shapiro, Sam (Ken) Sutter, Jacob (Genna) Shapiro,
Kaci Lyne (Mike) Durbin, Kristin (Dan) Normansell, Katie (Brandon) Palmer,
Trevor Lehr, Brianna Lehr and Cameron Lehr;
eight great-grandchildren, Charlotte Durbin, Finn Durbin, Isabella Normansell,
Brooklyn Normansell, Dylan Palmer, Caleb Palmer,
Steven Shapiro and Tyler Shapiro;
a sister, Emma Jean Helfrich of St. Louis, MO;
a brother, Gerald Haberl of Dupo, IL;
and a brother-in-law, Mervin (Ada Mae) Lehr of Lenzburg, IL.
Memorials may be made in the form of masses to St. Peter’s Cathedral Catholic Church, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 9, 2020, at St. Peter’s Cathedral Catholic Church, Belleville, IL. Standard CDC Guidelines will be in place upon entrance.
Burial will be at Green Mount Catholic Cemetery, Belleville, IL.