October 11, 1921 - July 1, 2012
Culver resident, Joyce Bernice Ashcraft Richards, 90, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2012, at Mountain View Hospital, with her daughters by her side.
She was born in a small house on the banks of the Snake River on Oct. 11, 1921, in Adrian, OR, to William and Susana Stacy Ashcraft. She attended grade school at Kingdom Colony, just out of Adrian, and high school at Nyssa, OR, graduating in 1939.
She married Ira Richards on Sept. 6, 1941, in Nampa, ID. They farmed in Notis, ID, where they had two daughters. They moved to Madras in 1948, and farmed on the Agency Plains, where two more daughters were born.
She was a perfect mother, cook (she even cooked for the threshing crew when her children were little), and made the best candies at Christmas time. She never left a thing undone.
The Richards retired in 1978, and moved to town. They spent winters in Arizona, and summers at Winchester Bay, OR. She loved to salmon fish, and crab, and always caught the biggest and the most. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren. She was a member of the Lady Elks and Rebekah Lodge.
She lost Ira in 2000. They were married almost 60 years, and she missed him so much. She lived at Ridge view care home in Culver for the last 1 years.
Survivors include her daughters and their spouses, Connie and Kenneth Bierman of Madras, Dianna and Doug Woods of Oregon City, OR, Jackie and Scott Kiser, and Cherie and Greg Gassner, all of Sutherlin, OR; nephews, John Hamilton of Boise, ID, and Steve Robins of Redmond, OR; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and a sister.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Opportunity Foundation, P.O. Box 430, Redmond, OR 97756. Arrangements are under the direction of Bel-Air Colonial Funeral Home of Madras.