Joyce Yvonne Craig

Joyce Yvonne Craig, born on April 5, 1937, in Jerome, Idaho, to Elmer and Bertha Ward Skiver, passed away peacefully at home on March 12, 2026, at the age of 88. She grew up on the family farm, attended Canyonside Rural School, and graduated from Jerome High School in 1955. That same year she married LeRoy Craig on April 15. The couple moved to El Paso, Texas, where LeRoy was stationed with the Army. There Joyce worked as a reservation agent for American Airlines, processing bookings by hand using long-line phones, teletype, and visual availability boards—an experience she cherished.

After LeRoy’s discharge in 1957, they returned to Idaho, where he joined what became Prescott & Craig Insurance. Joyce assisted in the agency over the years while also working briefly at the Jerome Eye Center and in outside sales for Magic Carpet Travels. Deeply involved in her community, she served as Jerome President, District Vice-President, and State President for Jaycettes, and was a member of the first Regional Mental Health Board and the Snake River Symposium. She also participated in numerous local and statewide election campaigns and served on the Election Board.

A lifelong love of travel, inspired by her favorite teacher Miss Ferrell, took Joyce and LeRoy to more than 31 countries. They treasured not only the sights and cultures but especially the people they met, many of whom became lifelong friends. Yet her most cherished role was as mother to her five children—Jody, Brad, JuLee, Bryan, and Barrett—and as “Ma” to her 23 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She was the family’s devoted Uber driver and tour director, packing the station wagon for adventures across Idaho, other states, Canada, and Mexico. Together they hiked the Sawtooth Mountains, slept under the stars, and learned the stories behind the places they visited. Meals at home were lively events filled with conversation, laughter, and her famous apple pie and Christmas cookies.

Education remained a priority for Joyce and LeRoy. Following the death of their son Brad in 1979, they established a scholarship at the College of Southern Idaho in his name. Joyce’s curiosity was boundless; she read encyclopedias for pleasure and was unbeatable at Trivial Pursuit. Her deep investment in her family’s lives shaped them all. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husband LeRoy, two children, a son-in-law, one granddaughter, and two grandsons.