Joyce Elaine Stoppenhagen

Joyce Elaine Stoppenhagen went home to be with her Lord on August 31, 2022, surrounded by her family.

She was born on November 20, 1938 to the late Charles W. and Freda Lorena (Fry) Gregg just outside Union City, Michigan. She was the oldest, and only surviving, of three children.

She met the love of her life and husband of 62 years, W. Gene Stoppenhagen, in June of 1955, at Pokagon State Park when her friends dared her to talk to “the cute lifeguard.” The two attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where she was in the Delta Zeta sorority and earned a BA in Education. Joyce and Gene married in 1960 and had two children. They moved to Lancaster, Ohio, in 1972. She was an active member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church where she was in the choir and the Women’s Circle.

Joyce’s first teaching job was in Renton, Washington in 1960, where she taught Spanish for a year while Gene attended graduate school.  She returned to teaching Spanish full-time at Pickerington High School from 1983-1998 and was much loved by her students and colleagues.

Joyce also loved to travel. After her retirement, she and Gene traveled all over the world, visiting Spain, China, Russia, Amsterdam, Australia, Hawaii, Alaska, and The Dominican Republic. They were among the last tourists to walk on the continent of Antarctica.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Douglas Dean and Michael Chester Gregg; and a cousin, Janet Swain.

She is survived by her husband, W. Gene Stoppenhagen; two children, Kristine (Timothy) Williams of Athens, Ohio, and Jeffrey (Denise) Stoppenhagen of Richfield, Ohio; two grandchildren, Erika Williams of Brooklyn, New York, and Jackson Williams of Denver, Colorado; a sister-in law, Kay (Bert) Schulz of Angola, Indiana; a niece, Amy (Scott) Spooner and their son, Sean, of Saline, Michigan; and a cousin, Gloria Gregg of Sterling Heights, Michigan.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff in the ICU at Fairfield Medical Center for their care and for the many hugs and tears they shared with the family.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 10, at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, at the corner of E. Wheeling St. and S. Eastwood Ave., Lancaster, Ohio. Visiting hours will be from 9-11 a.m. There will be a service at 11:00 a.m., with a light lunch to follow. Funeral arrangements have been made through FRANK E. SMITH FUNERAL HOME, Lancaster, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the LSS Fairfield County Food pantry, https://lssnetworkofhope.org/donate, your local food pantry, or Fairhope Hospice and Palliative Care.

To leave an online condolence, and sign the guestbook, please visit www.funeralhome.com.