Joyce Bernice Schultze

MOUNT HOREB - Joyce Bernice Schultze (née Thompson) passed away at the age of 94 on Thursday, April 28, 2022, in her hometown of Mount Horeb. Joyce was a smart, talented, beautiful woman with a joyful laugh. She was born on a dairy farm but at the age of 5, when her father died, moved with her mother to Mount Horeb to live with her grandparents and other extended family members. Being musically inclined, Joyce learned to play the baritone and joined her high school marching band. In later years, she took voice lessons and then sang in madrigal groups and church choirs up until a few years ago. Music was a large part of her and her husband Don’s life, and it was through that love that they made many of their long-time friends.

From high school, Joyce went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in medical technology and began working in the field soon thereafter. During that time, she married Don Schultze, whom she had met at UW while he was working on a master’s degree. Over the next 12 years, the couple had three daughters and lived in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia before finally settling in Maryland around 1962 in the brand new community of Bowie in the suburbs of D.C. There, Joyce and Don became founding members of Christian Community Presbyterian Church, which became the center of their spiritual, musical, and social lives for decades. Joyce was a stay-at-home mom for several years but returned to her medical technologist career part-time when her youngest was in first grade or so. She continued with that schedule until she retired, having ably managed the household, three kids’ schedules, two dogs, her own career, and heaven knows what else. She was a dynamo!

In addition to Joyce’s musical gifts, she was an excellent cook and enjoyed gardening, playing euchre, and working crossword puzzles. She also sewed and knitted, notably creating cherished Christmas stockings for everyone in the family, including each son-in-law and grandchild. Living close to D.C., Joyce and Don found time to pursue their cultural interests, attending the theater on a regular basis as well as concerts and ice hockey games. The two also traveled in Europe quite a bit and even had a wonderful opportunity to live in England for six months in 1981 in connection with Don’s career. Not content to be idle, Joyce took a temporary position at a local hospital during that period.

Upon retiring, Joyce and Don moved from Maryland back to Mount Horeb, surrounded by the prairies and pastures they both loved. Joyce was able to spend a number of years near her mother again and renew old friendships from her childhood. The couple also became members of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Madison, affording Joyce an outlet once again for her love of singing.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Melvin Thompson and Alice (Brager) Collins; her husband, Don; and her son-in-law, Michael Kuffel. She is survived by her daughter, Kristin Schulz, son-in-law, Tom Schulz, and granddaughter, Kate Schulz; daughter, Susan (Tim) Frank and grandsons, Tristan and Anders Frank; and daughter, Carolyn Kuffel, granddaughter, Shannon Kuffel, and grandson, Peter Kuffel.

A celebration of Joyce’s life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations, if desired, may be made to the Mount Horeb Area Historical Society or sent to the family for distribution. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb

Funeral & Cremation Care

500 N. Eighth St.

(608) 437-5077