Joyce Elaine Litherland

1934 - 2021

Joyce Elaine Hilton Litherland, 87, a lifetime resident of Las Vegas, N.M. gently passed on to an eternal life on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at Vida Encantada Nursing Home.
She was born on May 8, 1934 to Ivan J. Hilton and Betty Clauser in Chicago, Ill., and spent her early childhood at the Hilton JC-Bar Dude Ranch in Rociada, N.M.
After moving to Las Vegas during the war, she attended Las Vegas City Schools, graduating Salutatorian from Las Vegas High School (now Robertson High School) in 1952, where she was active in Student Council, band, girls athletics, VHS newspaper and annual staff, and Honor Society. An avid vocal and instrumental musician, she sang in school musicals and toured with the All-American Girls Band.
Joyce attended Texas Western College in El Paso (now UTEP), graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1955, and then undertook a year of graduate study in Management at University of California Berkeley.
During her time at Texas Western, she had met Army 1st Lieutenant Ivan "Ray" Litherland, an Air Defense Artillery Officer then stationed at Fort Bliss, because they attended the same church and bible study. They married on April 27, 1957 at First United Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas and remained happily so for 59 years until Ray's death in 2016. During their Army career they lived in many locations, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, California, North Carolina, and Germany (twice) until Ray's retirement from active duty in 1971, when they took up full time residence in Las Vegas.
Joyce worked as an office manager at Jayval Corp, and then spent many years with First National Bank (now Community 1st Bank) as teller, branch manager and eventually Vice-President. She was also involved in the Kiwanis, PEO, Girl Scouts, Bridge Club and many other civic organizations. Joyce was an avid supporter of the United World College from its inception and hosted more than 25 UWC Getaway students from all over the world. She was an Elder in First United Presbyterian Church and served her beloved church in a variety of roles, not least her enthusiastic participation in Choir and Bell Choir.
She is survived by her children, John Litherland and wife Meagan of Newport, R.I. and Albuquerque, N.M.; Sharon Roe and husband Edward of Manhattan, Mont.; Kenneth Litherland and wife Carol of Rociada, N.M.; her grandchildren, Mairi Litherland of Socorro, N.M.; Jack Litherland of Albuquerque, N.M.; Arwyn Henry and husband Matt of Topeka, Kan.; Ivan Roe of Ft. Benning, Ga; Chase Roe of Manhattan, Mont.; Christina Litherland and Nicky Litherland both of Billings, Mont.; and her dear brother- and sister-in-law Joe and Joyce Mikita of Lakewood, Colo.
A celebration of Joyce's life will be held at First United Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 22nd of May 2021, with inurnment of remains to follow in the church's columbarium. Virtual attendance at the service via the First United Presbyterian Church's Zoom meeting link at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5739200081 is suggested for all but family and close friends in order to avoid overcrowding and allow maintenance of social distancing.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made in Joyce's name to the NMHU Foundation's Litherland Endowed Scholarship (https://nmhufoundation.org) or to a charitable organization of your choice.
Arrangements are entrusted to and under the care of Rogers Mortuary, 600 Reynolds Avenue, Las Vegas, N.M., 1-800-479-3511 or 505-425-3511. See www.rogersmortuarynm.com to sign the online register book.