Joyce M. Butkus, age 91, passed away October 8, 2026.She was born Joyce May Rice January 25, 1935 to B.H. and Julia (Capps) Rice in Ft. Collins, Colorado. The family moved to Kelso-Longview, Washington in 1940.
Joyce graduated from Kelso High School in 1953. In 1954, she married Lee K. Butkus of Centralia. The first two years they lived in San Diego where Lee was stationed with the U.S. Navy. After his discharge in 1956, they moved to Centralia. He became a teacher and she worked in banking.
Golfing became a hobby for them and they played at both Riverside and Centralia Elks courses, and later she played at Neuwakem course. They took several trips throughout the United States traveling by car or motorcycle, a BMW 750. They were divorced in 1991.
During her senior year at Kelso, she worked at the Kelso library, credit bureau, and later for General Mortgage Corporation, Longview. Joyce started working in Centralia at Lewis County State Bank in 1956. In 1957, she was employed by Centralia Federal Savings & Loan where she worked until her retirement in 1987.
Joyce began her career as a teller and worked up through the ranks as Operations Officer, Personnel Officer, and Loan Officer. Following the merger between Central Federal and Evergreen Federal in 1982, she served as Savings Administrator in the new Central Evergreen Savings. Joyce later returned to the Centralia office as Manager and V.P.
During earlier years, the Centralia savings & loan branched to Vancouver, Rochester and Longview. She worked with the architect to plan the buildings that provided efficient operations. Joyce was responsible for development of new banking programs and for training of employees in the offices.
In 1988, she became Executive Director for the Centralia College Foundation. Joyce was proud of her first fundraising which resulted in meeting a goal of $250,000 which was matched by federal funds to establish endowment funds. She retired from the Foundation in 1994.
While working, she was active in the community serving on the Centralia Chamber of Commerce board, EDC, Altrusa and Board of Realtors. She enjoyed playing the piano with music from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, walking, swimming and reading.
In 1995, after more than 45 years, she met her teenage sweetheart, Ken Schaefer from Lynnwood, WA. In his dowry Ken brought two sons, Kent (Linda) Schaefer and Steven (Sandy) Schaefer and now they each have two sons. She enjoyed being “Grammy Joyce” to Kyle (Amelia) Schaefer, Daniel, Matthew and Ryan and two great-grandsons, Konnor and Logan, who called her Granny.
Ken and Joyce bought a small Winnebago and took several trips around the United States. They also enjoyed traveling on tours to England, Scotland, Wales and Italy.
Tired of lawn care and maintenance, they moved to Stillwater Estates in Centralia in 2014. After Ken’s passing, Joyce moved to San Dimas, California to be near family.
She is survived by nieces, Linda Colpron Buck and Jennifer Colpron David, both of California, Patricia Green Abson, of Arizona and Pamela Green Pollack, of Washington; Ken’s two sons, Kent (Linda) Schaefer and Steven (Sandra) Schaefer; four grandsons; two great-grandsons; and several great-nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her longtime partner, Kenneth H. Schaefer; parents; and sisters, Ruth V. Green and Doris J. Colpron.
A private service will be held in San Dimas, California. Inurnment is at Mountain View Cemetery, Centralia.
