Joyce Leach
March 16, 1951 ~ August 21, 2017
Joyce Lorraine Leach, 66, Fargo, North Dakota, died Monday, August 21, 2017 at Sanford Medical Center Fargo with her three surviving daughters at her side. Joyce was born March 16, 1951 in Fargo, North Dakota, the daughter of Carl & Gladys (Myers) Richtsmeier. She grew up in rural Hunter, ND and graduated in 1969 from Arthur High School in Arthur, ND. Joyce later graduated from Dakota Business College in Fargo. She worked for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of ND & Tri-State Auto Auction before spending the majority of her career as the Office Manager at Ness Auto Sales.
Joyce married Gary Duane Leach in Fargo, ND on December 22, 1972. They had four daughters: Tiffany, Tammy, Trista, & Trachelle. Joyce had a fun-loving nature and showed it through having many lengthy phone conversations, dancing, listening to music, attending concerts, reading, playing bingo, & doing anything that brought her time with family & friends. Prior to Gary’s passing, Joyce also enjoyed traveling to area craft shows where she & Gary would sell homemade wooden crafts. Later, she continued her love of traveling by visiting family & friends. Her vibrant personality, caring attitude and heart of gold will be sorely missed.
She is survived by daughters Tiffany (Jason) Eblen, Reile’s Acres, ND, Trista (Justin) Briscoe, Fargo, ND, & Trachelle Leach, Fargo, ND; grandchildren Cody Rhinhart, Tristan & Trenton Walsh, & Gavin & Wyatt Briscoe (all Fargo, ND); sister Hazel (Arnold) Overland, Baudette, MN; sister Dorothy (Floyd) Hauck, Utica, SD; brother Walt (Pearl) Richtsmeier, Galesburg, ND; sister-in-law Marlys Richtsmeier, Hunter, ND; sister-in-law Marion (Jesse) Paulson, Fargo, ND; sister-in-law Donna Gamache, Lisbon, ND; best friend & cousin Janelle (BJ) Jones, Poulsbo, WA, as well as several nieces, nephews & cousins.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents Carl & Gladys Richtsmeier, husband Gary Leach, daughter Tammy Leach, brother Howard Richtsmeier, & sister-in-law Eileen Lillis.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 PM on Friday, August 25, 2017 at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo. Visitation will be continued at Boulger Funeral Home on Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 9:00 AM followed by her funeral at 10:00 AM. Burial will be held at Hunter Cemetery in Hunter, ND at 2:00 PM.
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I am so sorry for your loss. Today I had such a strong presence of Tammy throughout the day not aware of this sad news. Joyce was so vibrant and fun to visit with. She will be greatly missed. Thinking of you all!
I had the pleasure of growing up just down the road from Joyce & Gary. My summers were spent with their daughters Tiffany & Tammy. Some of my fondest memories of childhood revolve around the Leach’s. One of the best was Tammy scooting down to my house with a broken leg refusing to use crutches, wearing holes in all her shorts because of it. I would harass Gary in the wood shop & play restaurant in the basement with the girls. Joyce was always so kind to me & my sister Jessica. Her love, generosity & free spirit will be greatly missed.
sorry for your loss
Joyce will be greatly missed by all her friends at Red River Singles.
I am so sorry for your loss. Joyce was more the age of my older sister Ginnette but always had a smile and a kind word for me when we would run into each other. She will be missed.
I remember Joyce in school and her family of Burchills also. Her Dad bought our farm after my Dad passed. We lived near her Grandparents and remember her at Ness. Deepest sympathy from my family to hers. Harriet Hansen Holler
So sorry to read about Joyce. We send our sincere sympathy to all of the family.
We have great memories of Joyce, Gary and you girls the years we were lucky enough to be your daycare 🙂 Joyce was one the kindest people I ever knew – her soft voice, quiet laugh and good nature were a blessing to those around her. She’ll be missed.
I have you girls in my thoughts and prayers, your mom will be greatly missed. I have been thinking about all the 4-H fun you had together with my kids. you now have another angel watching over all of you.
Mary and Garfield Hoglund
We write to express our sincere condolences with you and your family during this your time of grief. We pray you may have strength in the days ahead. May this scripture bring you hope and comfort during this time as it did our family. Isaiah 26:19 “Your dead will live. My corpses will rise up. Awake and shout joyfully, You residents in the dust! For your dew is as the dew of the morning, And the earth will let those powerless in death come to life.” That’s our loving God’s promise.
JR
I’m so sorry for your loss. I knew Joyce through The Compassionate Friends. She was a very kind and caring person.
I am sorry for your loss – your mom was a wonderful lady, my mom will really miss her friend.
Thinking of you – Maria Richard
My selfish wish is that I didn’t have more time with Joyce, as other friends and family I am sure feel the same way too. But I got married and moved away, so at this time, for the past 18 months or so, I lived in NM. Joyce was an earthly angel. I feel so grateful and blessed from God that I met her and became her friend. In that short time she became one of my closet and most treasured/cherished friends. We talked often on the phone for hours in Fargo as well as when I moved away to NM, even long distance. We worked on our friendship as well as thinking up things we could do for the Red River Singles organization, which we both wanted to succeed. She came to my house about once a month in 2015 and 2016 for social gatherings and we all loved having her there to visit, eat good food and play games. I will miss her soft voice and tenderness, nurturing, wonderful, loving, caring, kind, ways and big generous heart and soul. Her laughter was soft but infectious and she will be missed by all who ever met her. I also loved her great sense of humor and she was intuitive and she was “one smart cookie!” I am sorry I couldn’t be there for the funeral because I live in NM now, but you all are in my thoughts and prayers as you grieve the loss of Joyce. I have a peace knowing that she is in heaven with her daughter, Tammy, and not in pain or suffering as she had been in the past few months. I will miss her and always love her. Even though I have never met her family, I think from what I see in pictures and what Joyce said, she raised a nice family. You all should be proud of this time you had with her. She loved you all too! Keep those memories and pictures to remind you of her love for you.
We were thinking of all of Joyce’s family since hearing about her death. You will miss her so much, she was a special lady. You will miss your Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt and friend.
We were sorry that we could not be there for the funeral. Please know that you have been in thoughts and prayers these days. Losing someone so dear brings sadness. life will never be the same again.
May it cause us all to seek to have a deeper relationship with God, as He can bring true comfort.
Love,
Verla and Duane Bergh