Joyce Long

Joyce Long, 87, of Mount Pleasant, went home to be with her Lord and Savior at 3 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, at Park Place Elder Living in Mount Pleasant.

Joyce was born June 1, 1938, in Linby, Iowa, to Charles "Chuck" Clayton and Hazel Lela (Johnston) Nicholson, the eldest of nine children. Joyce attended Winfield High School.

On Oct. 2, 1955, Joyce was united in marriage to Donald Eugene Long in Lockridge. They were blessed with two daughters, Teri Lu in 1957 and Melanie Dawn in 1962.

Joyce was employed for 12 years at Martha Brown and Henry County Credit Union, both in Mount Pleasant. For 20 years, she served the Lord as Secretary of Calvary Baptist Church, retiring in 2004.

Joyce made the most important decision of her life at the age of 18 when she received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. Her life verse was Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

She was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed sewing clothes for her grandchildren. She was an avid reader, loved shopping, traveling, taking trips to Branson, and collecting cookbooks; she received great joy spending time with family and friends. She had a great love for music and played the trumpet and handbells, and sang in the church choir for many years. She had a special fondness for hearts and was a collector of P. Buckley Moss prints.

Her faith was very strong. She was a faithful member of Calvary Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant, where she served as a Sunday School teacher, VBS worker, and on the missionary committee and other ministries through the years.

She was a volunteer at the Midwest Old Threshers information booth for many years and attended Silver Sneakers at the Mount Pleasant REC Center. She enjoyed attending Sunday evening after-church fellowship groups and the Winfield Class of 1956 trips and get-togethers.

Those thankful for sharing in Joyce's life include her two daughters, Teri Long of Muscatine and Melanie (Jim) Housel of Mount Pleasant; four grandchildren, Mitch (Theresa) Meeker, Molly (Cory) Bachman, Kelly (Matt) Lord, and Jeff (Audrey) Housel; 10 great-grandchildren, Audrey, Myra, Jordan, Owen, Ivy, Lily, Philip, Brinley, Malia, and Teegan; and 6 siblings: James (Wanda) Nicholson of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, Janet (Richard) Eggenberger of West Burlington, Judy (David) Rixe of Bennett, Jill Hoover of Burlington, Joan (David) Exline of West Branch, and Jewel Schultz of Mount Pleasant.

Her parents; husband, Don (who died Sept. 5, 2019, in Mount Pleasant); two brothers, William Robert "Bob" Nicholson and Charles Edwin "Ed" Nicholson; and two grandsons, David Allan Glasgow and Brian Eugene Glasgow, preceded Joyce in death.

Friends may call from 2-7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21, at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. The family will be present to receive friends from 3-5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home and again on Monday from 10-11 a.m. at the church.

The funeral service for Joyce will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 22, at the Calvary Baptist Church, 801 East Mapleleaf Drive, Mount Pleasant. The Rev. Dr. David Strope, Pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Trinity Cemetery, rural Moung Union.

Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to Calvary Baptist Church. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.