Joy R. Schultz

Joy R. Schultz, 78 of Devils Lake and Munich ND passed away on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at Eventide Heartland Care Center in Devils Lake.

Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home on Thursday, July 8, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a time of prayer and remembrance at 7:00 p.m.  Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 9, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at Salem Bible Church in Munich with Pastor Don Barsness officiating.  Joy will be laid to rest in the South Salem Cemetery, rural Munich ND.

Joy Ruth Wolven, daughter of Fred and Edna (Benson) Wolven was born on February 22, 1943, at McFall, Missouri. She grew up in rural McFall on the family farm.  She graduated from Bethany High School in Bethany, MO with the class of 1961.  She continued her education, attending a business school on Omaha NE.  Joy then began working at Northwest Bell and later for Mutual of Omaha Insurance. 

While working in Omaha, Joy would meet her beloved, Melroy Schultz.  He was part of a group of farmers who would go down to Omaha every winter and get jobs to help support themselves and family.  Well, love bloomed and Joy and Melroy were united in marriage on April 5, 1964, at a rural church just a short distance from the Wolven home in rural McFall, MO. 

After marriage, Joy and Melroy lived and worked in Omaha for a time, then moved to the Munich area where Melroy began farming with his parents and they started their family.  Joy worked in the Munich School System for over 21 years, first as a paraprofessional in the kindergarten and elementary grades and eventually as the secretary and business manager for the Munich School and later also the Starkweather School.  She was a dedicated, hard-working employee up until her stroke in 2001 which forced her to retire. 

Joy was an active member of the Salem Mennonite Church and Ladies Mission Society.  She also belonged to the local homemakers club for a time.  She was an avid reader, a talented seamstress and always had a big garden on the farm. 

First and foremost, Joy was a devoted wife, loving mother, caring grandmother, and great grandmother.  She loved her Lord and Savior and believed in His promises.  She felt truly blessed to have the love and support of family and friends throughout these many years. 

Joy is survived by her husband of over 57 years Melroy; sons Dwight (Grace) Schultz of Sterling Heights, Michigan and Durwood Schultz of Devils Lake; grandchildren Katherine (David) Sims and their daughter Finley Joy all of Sterling Heights, MI and Daniel (Maria) Schultz of Greer, South Carolina; brother Jay Wolven of Bethany, MO; sisters-in-law Bertha Rodriguez of Kansas City, MO, Cathy Wolven, Galena, MO, and Lorraine (John) Heibert, Dallas, OR and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers John and Joe Wolven, and in-laws Willard and Katherine Schultz.