Joyce Meskis

Joyce Meskis of Denver, Colorado passed away on December 22, 2022 at home with her family by her side. Joyce was born in East Chicago, Indiana in 1942. As a young girl she spent much of her time in libraries and remembers carrying stacks of books home and being read bedtime stories by her mother. Her love of books continued into her adult life. She worked in libraries and bookstores to help pay for her college tuition at Purdue University. After earning a degree in English, she moved to Littleton, Colorado with her first husband and began raising a family. Not long after moving to Colorado she realized her calling in life. A few years later, now divorced, she decided to open her own bookstore in Parker, Colorado. Later, in 1974, Joyce purchased a small store in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver called the Tattered Cover Book Store, which she grew into one of the largest bookstores in the nation. Joyce's passion was putting books and people together, and providing a comfortable place where people could browse a vast selection of ideas in print. She received recognition and many accolades as owner of a successful independent bookstore and for her work in support of free speech and the First Amendment. Yet for Joyce, success was ensuring that the freedom to read is guaranteed and that books of all varieties and viewpoints are accessible to everyone. As a bookseller Joyce believed being an advocate for readers and supporting a marketplace of ideas were paramount responsibilities.

Joyce was known to most as a bookstore owner, but what few people knew about was her passion for cooking. She had bookshelves full of cookbooks with many hand written notes alongside her favorite recipes. She especially loved cooking traditional Lithuanian food and having large meals with family and friends. She would often start planning the menu weeks ahead and took the time and care to make each gathering memorable for everyone. Thanksgiving with Joyce and her husband Jed was often a huge event with family and friends from across the country gathering for a traditional feast.

Joyce and Jed loved to travel and they took many trips, including several to Lithuania to visit Joyce's extended family. She was very interested in researching her Lithuanian heritage as both her maternal and paternal grandparents immigrated from there.

Most of all Joyce cherished time spent with her children, her grandchildren, and Jed, the love of her life who she met over 30 years ago.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents John Meskis and Helen Dickus Meskis. Joyce is survived by her husband, Edgar (Jed) Rulon-Miller, daughters Julie Luetzelschwab of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Kathy; grandchildren and many cousins and extended relatives of the Meskis family.

Joyce is dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. To honor her passion for books, please support your local libraries and independent bookstores. To support her advocacy for free speech, please exercise and appreciate your freedom to read. For those who wish to make a donation in honor of Joyce, consider the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom to help their cause in fighting against banning books and censorship. https://ec.ala.org/donation/OIF-0000-INTELL