Joyce E. Means

1940 - 2025

Joyce E. Means
Born: July 19, 1940
Died: July 25, 2025
Joyce E. Means, nee Hixson, passed away July 25, 2025 due to various complications from an unspecified form of dementia. Joyce was born July 19, 1940 in Scottdale, PA as the youngest child of eight to the late Alvin S. and Eunice (Sutor) Hixson.
Joyce graduated from Scottdale Senior High in 1958. She then went to airline school in New York City. She continued living and working there for several months until her airline laid off much of their staff after a second plane crashed in a short period of time.
Joyce married the late Glenn W. Means in 1959. Together, they moved to Illinois for better job opportunities. Joyce spent a number of years working on and off for Rockford Newspaper before they moved to Genoa. In Genoa, Joyce spent several years as an Avon lady, had a short stint at GE, and eventually went to work as an agent for Allstate Insurance in 1976. She started work at the Sears booth downtown Rockford and then moved to the Sears booth at Cherryvale and eventually had a neighborhood office in Rockford. She was with Allstate for 20+ years. Joyce spent a few years trying her hand at various entrepreneurial activities. Joyce eventually returned to the insurance business and was a licensed insurance assistant (she could bind coverage) for Country Financial agents for 10+ years in DeKalb and then Genoa.
Survived by her children: Janice (Mike Walsh) Means, Jackie (Joe) Evers, Geoff (Amy Stevens) Means; and grandchildren: Logan Panjkovich, Bailey (Tristan Pous-Ojeda) Panjkovich, Lizzie (JJ) Lambert, Matt Evers, Andy (Luana Faria) Evers, Chelsea (Ian) Reid; and great-grandsons: Chase Pous-Panjkovich, Ryder Pous-Ojeda; and sister: Rita Ottenberg.
Joyce was predeceased by her siblings: Kathryn Geehring, Zetta Ottenberg, Jack Hixson, Erma Strombeck, Ray Hixson, and Janet Kimmel.
Her visitation will be on Sunday, August 3rd from 10:00-11:00 AM, with a service beginning at 11:30 AM at the Slater-Butala Funeral Home, 132 W. Main St., Genoa, IL. 60135. Her private burial will be at at the North Kingston Cemetery, Kingston, IL.
Joyce had stated that she would like flowers at her funeral. If you would like to support that wish, her children suggest you order ones that are with plants when possible. You will then be welcome to take them with you after the funeral or we will donate them to organizations that can enjoy them long-term.
For those that are called to make a financial memorial, and for Joyce's love of dogs, feel free to donate to Dot's Friends (501c3 dog rescue started by Lizzie) at 3134 Winding Way, Huntsville, TX 77340. Or visit their donation options at https://dotsfriends.org/ (scroll to bottom for ways to donate).
To sign the online guest book go to http://www.butalafuneralhomes.com