Joyce Lola Bennett

Joyce Bennett

Panguitch, Utah

Joyce Lola Barton Bennett, 64, our loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend has gone "Home" for Christmas. She passed away in St. George, Utah on Sunday, December 15, 2019 due to complications related to pneumonia. Joyce was born in Henderson, Nevada, March 1, 1955 to Joseph Lorenzo and Lola Owens Barton into a large and loving family. She was the 9th of 10 children, raised in Henderson. She graduated from Basic HS in 1973. She loved playing softball, once on a team with her mother.

Joyce and her family spent many happy hours at Lake Mead and she grew up with lots of cousins as her friends. She had a special bond with cousins and was a good friend to many. She loved the outdoors. She loved to fish, camp and go the beach. She collected rocks and seashells everywhere she lived and they always moved around with her in a treasure box. She also loved collecting lighthouses. Joyce always had a tender spot for animals and had many pets throughout her life. While growing up she spent every summer visiting Panguitch. She always felt like it was her safe place. She lived in Henderson, Nevada, Pismo Beach, California, St. George, Albuquerque, New Mexico and several other places but always longed for Panguitch. In 1992 she finally moved to Panguitch and has lived there ever since.

Joyce was never afraid of hard work and had many skills and jobs, but most of her work career involved being a cook or waitress. She was a great cook and was always a fun and friendly waitress. In recent years, she worked for food services for Garfield Memorial Hospital and was so sweet and kind to the extended care patients there. She was very proud and happy to serve as an EMT in Garfield County for 15 years.

She is survived by her daughter, Shauna Bess; grandson, Jason (Farlin) Bess; and great-grandson, Jake; also by her siblings: Joe (Virginia) Barton, Roma (Rich) Gilmore, Kay (Carol) Barton, Janet (Jan) Bennett, Jack Barton, Neal (Tammy) Barton, Richard (Corinne) Barton, Betty (Kimball) Wirig; brother-in-law, Larry Gibson. She was preceded in death by both of her parents and her sister, Shirley Gibson.

Joyce’s greatest love was her family. She was so proud of her daughter and grandsons. She rarely missed a family reunion and is adored by all of her nieces and nephews and will be so missed by all of us.

A celebration of her life will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 12:00 Noon in the Panguitch LDS Stake Center, 550 S. 100 W. Panguitch, Utah 84759 where friends may call for visitation prior to the services from 10 – 11:30 . Interment will follow at the Panguitch Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com