Memorial
Joyce Elaine Schirm Twachtmann, 92, passed away on August 22, 2019, at Prairie Hills Cedar Rapids Retirement Community. Joyce was born February 1, 1927, to Lawrence and Marie (Stolte) Schirm in Cedar Rapids and where she lived her entire life. She was baptized, confirmed, married and attended churches within the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. On January 16, 1949, she married Walter Dietrich Twachtmann and together they joyfully welcomed three daughters.
After graduating from high school, Joyce was employed as a switchboard operator and then as a secretary to the vice-president of Iowa National until her first daughter was born. She then became a stay-at-home mom. During those years, she volunteered her time as a room mother and Camp Fire Girls leader for each of her daughters. She was active in church guilds and enjoyed visiting many shut-ins through her church.
When her youngest daughter entered 8th grade, Joyce went to work for the Tupperware office in Cedar Rapids. Three months later, her 44-year-old husband was killed in a plane crash and Joyce took over his business, Cedar Rapids Ceramic Tile, for more than four years. She later sold the business. Joyce was then employed as an office manager at Tupperware again until retirement.
Her family was first in her life. She welcomed the opportunity to have her grandchildren at her house. Joyce always made herself available emotionally, spiritually and physically whenever her daughters needed her advice or shoulder. When they felt they were too overwhelmed to know where to begin, she was there to help by issuing directives (!) for deep cleaning, reorganizing, painting, making food or whatever was needed. Sometimes, it was just listening and guiding. Fun filled, entire day shopping excursions with her daughters in downtown Cedar Rapids and LaCrosse (near their second home on the Mississippi River) showed her stamina and tolerance from birth through their teenage and adult years. Everyone enjoyed the Christmas Day prime rib dinners in her home that were so special with her whole family present.
In 1965, Walt purchased a 10-acre property south of Lansing on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River containing a story and a half house (without Joyce’s knowledge) and convinced her and their girls to love it. So very many happy memories with family and many friends were associated with the “cabin” throughout the years.
Outside of earlier family vacations and after the death of Walt, Joyce began traveling all over the world. She visited six continents and almost all but a couple of our 50 states. She also took many trips with Sheri and a few with Jan and Barb.
Joyce appreciated her faithful bridge friends throughout her life experiences.
Left to cherish her memory are daughters Sheri (Michael) Neilly, Jan Leslein, and Barbara Twachtmann (formerly Frahm); grandchildren Erin (James) Seely, Sean (Jenny) Neilly, Tim Leslein, Tammy Machers, Lia (Tony) DiBlasi, Nicholas Leslein (special friend Allyson Ehlers), and Luke Frahm; great-grandchildren A. J. (Breezy) Seely, Carter Seely (longtime girlfriend Jenny Beatty), Adehle Daley, John-Patrick Neilly, Jay Neilly, Brittany (James) Gaylord, Olivia Leslein (Kevin Scheffert), Emma Machers, Ella DiBlasi and Quinn DiBlasi; great-great grandchildren Reid Seely, James Gaylord III, Charlie Gaylord, Murdock Gaylord, and Mylo Leslein; her brother Russell Schirm; sisters-in-law Audrey Twachtmann, Annetta Schirm, and Pat Schirm; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Walt; son-in-law Steven Leslein; brothers Robert and Melvin Schirm; brothers-in-law Donald Twachtmann, Kenneth Twachtmann, and LeRoy Twachtmann; sisters-in-law Bernita Hunter and Pauline Twachtmann; and nephew Todd Twachtmann.
We would like to thank the wonderful care given to our mother by the staff at Prairie Hills and Compassus Hospice.