Joyce Safly

Joyce (Bravard) Safly, 73, of rural Ames, passed away, surrounded by family, from her earthly home to her eternal home with her savior Jesus Christ, Saturday, February 18, after a courageous battle with cancer. Services will be at 10:30 AM, Wednesday, February, 22, at Napier United Methodist Church, 1595 Xenia Drive, in Napier (rural Ames), with Pastor Linda Poore officiating. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery, southwest of Napier, following lunch at the church. Joyce Elaine (Bravard) Safly was born October 8, 1938, in Boone, Iowa the daughter of Charles Everett and Dorothy Mae (Freel) Bravard. Joyce married James (Jim) Howard Safly June 15, 1958, at Mackey Methodist Church in Mackey, Iowa. Joyce was a 1956 graduate of Story City High School. She was a "mother of hundreds" while being the United Community Elementary secretary from 1975 until her retirement in 2000, in addition to being mother to her own "Fab Four." Joyce also made many friends working part-time at the Ames Younkers office for ten and a half years. Joyce was a member of the Napier United Methodist Church, where she served in many United Methodist Women (UMW) leadership positions, as a Sunday School teacher, as a vacation bible school teacher, and where she also served as an officer on the district United Methodist Women team. Joyce was very active in 4-H all of her life as an active member (Harrison Happy Hustlers), leader (Colfax Cloverettes) and volunteer (Boone County 4-H and Youth Committee, Boone County 4-H Endowment). Joyce was the Boone County Fair 4-H Bake Sale superintendent for many years. Joyce was active in her sorority, Beta Sigma Phi Chapter Xi Theta Omega, where she valued her friendships. She volunteered in the Mary Greeley Medical Center surgical waiting room and gift shop. Joyce loved going to athletic events: from playing basketball for the Vikings, to watching her grandchildren play in different sports, to watching her beloved Cyclones (being a part of "Hilton Magic" since 1974) as basketball season ticket holders through the worst and the best of times. Family. Words cannot express the importance of family to Joyce. From her immediate family, to her beloved card club family, to her church family, to her work family, to her 4-H family, to her United Community Elementary kids family, words cannot express the importance. Joyce is survived by her love of her life for 53 and a half years, Jim Safly of rural Ames; two sons: Joel Safly of Fort Myers, Florida, and Jason (Anne) Safly of Lenexa, Kansas; one daughter: Janet (Brian) Kilmer of Gilbert; one son-in-law: Douglas (Christine) Blomgren of Ankeny; fifteen grandchildren: Jennifer (Tom) Ciha; Sean (Katie) Blomgren; Sarah, Josh, Stephanie Crystal, and James Robert (J.R.) Blomgren; KateLynn Potter, Jordin and Keaten Safly; Lisa, Hannah, Addison, and Bailey Kilmer; Samuel and Lydia Safly; three great-grandchildren: Emily and Grant Ciha, and Jayden Bryan; her step-mother, Ella Bravard of Hampton, Iowa; two brothers: Jerry (Linda) Bravard of Boone, and Kenny (Denise) Bravard of Boone; two sisters: Lynda (Tom) Hartmann of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Marlys Bravard of Boone; two brothers-in-law: Steve (Karen) Safly of Ridgeway, Missouri, and Jack (Julie) Safly of rural Ames; one sister-in-law, Connie Safly of Ames; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; her card club; and her Longaberger baskets. Joyce was preceded in death by her mother and father; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Howard and Frances Safly; her daughter, Julienne Blomgren; her nephew, Joe Bravard, and her "adopted son," Bob Green. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Tuesday, February 21, and viewing will be one hour before the service, both at Napier United Methodist Church in Napier. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Joyce Safly / Julienne Blomgren Memorial 4-H Scholarship, or to the United Community Schools Foundation in Joyce's name, or to the Napier United Methodist Church. We know all of this, because Joyce helped write this story of her life.