Joyce Stacy Semmler

There's a purple tint on the woodland leaves and the winds are up all day. There's a rustling heard in the yellow sheaves: "Sweet summer has gone away." In the wrinkled brook, no roses peep, and the bees no longer stray, And the butterflies have gone to sleep. The locust trills all day. Sweet summer time has gone away. Sweet summer time will return, will return. Warm is the heart through the winter day, Though summer time has gone. Joyce Stacy (Heath) Semmler, 96, formerly of Rochelle and currently of Englewood, Fla. died on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017 in her sleep. She was born March 28, 1921 to Ira Francis and Grace Stacy Heath and lived with them and her brothers, Thayer and Bruce, in a little home on Route 64 in Chana. She attended Ashton High School and married Oswin (Duke) Semmler on April 2, 1946. They had two children, Brian Charles and Judy Kay. Joyce, known to close friends and family as “Moose,” was known to many by her many years of work at Adam’s, a clothing and dry goods store that was once in downtown Rochelle. She also helped her good friend, Edna Miller, open The Sewing Nook, a store that was once located near where the Triple R Roller Rink was. She was a constant volunteer at local polling places as well. Joyce and Duke operated the Skyway Jewelry Store just south of town in the 1950s, until it burned down. She was also one of the proud women of this country who went by the name “Rosie the Riveter” in World War II, serving the United States in any way she knew how. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Rochelle at one time, of the Presbyterian Church of Franklin Grove, and of the Presbyterian Church in Englewood, Fla., a member of the VFW, and of the Moose Auxiliary, and was a Daughter of the American Revolution. Her ancestor, William Heath of Nazing, England, came to this country from London on the ship “Lion” on September 16, 1632. Her ancestor John Heath, born in 1755, was known as “Ghost John” and served at the Battle of Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War. Another ancestor, Aaron Heath, served under Benedict Arnold and was also at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The first Heath generation born in Rochelle included Francis Clark Heath, born there in 1818. Joyce was known for having the biggest heart. She loved to laugh, she loved to sit in her home on the airport curve south of town on Hwy. 251 with a nice glass of gin and Squirt and some pretzels and watch the birds and animals in her yard. She was part of a group of friends called “The Card Club” in Rochelle, whose antics were legendary. She could name a bird by its song, she made a most excellent chocolate mayonnaise cake and her hugs were life sustaining. So much laughter, so much joy came forth from her, she loved life very much and all the friends and family around her. Joyce and Duke started visiting Southwest Florida in the early 1970s, became snowbirds in the 1980s and officially started to call it home year-round in the 1990s. They kept their house on 251 south of Rochelle until 2012. When they were younger they also enjoyed many RV trips, and loved going to the Rainbow River in Baudette, Minn. to catch their limit of walleye and northern to bring home. The entire family spent many, many happy years going to Lake Koshkonong, Wis. on weekends and summers as well. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Ira and Grace Heath; her brothers, Thayer and Bruce; and her husband, Duke, who passed in 2012. She is survived by her son, Brian (Emmelina) Semmler of Marco Island, Fla. and her daughter, Judy (Pete) of Englewood, Fla.; her grandchildren, Marcy (Jason) Shortuse of Port Charlotte, Fla., Shawn Semmler of Fort Lauderdale and Seattle, and Shane (Shelly) Semmler of Moville, Iowa; and great-grandchildren Rowyn, Keagan, Rory, Eirinn and Piper Shortuse and Sebastian and Bailey Semmler. Graveside services will be held on September 30, 2017 at 12:00 noon at Lawn Ridge Cemetery Rochelle IL. Visitation will be held same day at Beverage-Lyons Funeral Home 704 N. 6th St. Rochelle, IL from 10:00 a.m. till the departure to the cemetery at 11:45 a.m. It is good to know she is now reunited with so many she loved, both friends and family, who have passed. We will miss her so here on earth.