Joyce Rigby passed away on March 16, 2022, at the age of 86. She was born on January 16, 1936, the youngest of three children of F. Homer and Hazel (Harris) Anderson of Algona, Iowa. She went to school in Algona until the summer after her freshman year of high school, when her parents moved with Joyce to Olathe, Colorado. That is where she later graduated, after building a reputation as a skilled accompanist for the school's music and drama groups.

After graduation, she moved back to Iowa, where she met Richard Alan Rigby, a Laurens farmer, through mutual friends. They married March 8, 1959, at the home of her sister, Mary (Anderson) Kaskey in Rockwell City, Iowa. After three years on a nearby family-owned farm, they moved into the Rigby family home northeast of Laurens, where they remained all their lives. They had one daughter, Leigh Annette, born February 1, 1960.

Joyce was an accomplished pianist and taught piano lessons in Rockwell City and then Laurens for many years. She was a member of a variety of clubs and organizations, including Genies, Laurens Women's Club, and Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a long-time member of the Laurens United Methodist Church, and played piano for services, weddings, and funerals there for nearly 50 years.

Joyce worked part-time for Dallenbach Insurance Agency in Laurens for several years while Leigh was in school, and then served as assistant librarian at the Laurens Public Library for 28 years. After Leigh graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, Joyce enrolled at Iowa Lakes Community College as a non-traditional student to pursue her long-time goal of a college education. She graduated in two years with an associate of arts degree in English, earning a 4.0 grade point average. She was an avid reader, devouring everything from mystery novels to biographies to British and US history.

She and her best friend, Patricia Harms, traveled together to the United Kingdom and continental Europe numerous times. They chronicled their adventures in booklets featuring her writing and Pat's cartoons and could leave a gathering in stitches recounting some of their mishaps.

Joyce often said she had done and seen more in her fortunate life than she ever expected. Her grandson David asked her to fill out a questionnaire for a family tree project in middle school. One question asked, "How would you like to be remembered?" Joyce replied that she hoped to be remembered as someone who "genuinely liked people, attempted to do the right thing, and tried to brighten the day for those whose lives were less fortunate." She always provided a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen. She was beloved among her family, friends and acquaintances for her quick wit, kindness, and joyful, infectious laugh. Her friend Pat once said that if she and Joyce were ever separated in a gallery or museum on their travels, all she had to do was listen for the laughter.

Some of her favorite things included visiting with her family and friends, classical music, traveling, cats, talking back to the TV news, reading, playing her baby grand piano at midnight, collecting stuffed animals, and her one daily glass of wine promptly at 5 p.m. Some of her dislikes: cooking (although she was a perfectly good cook), conservative politics, musicals, and "stuffed shirts."

Joyce spent the last few months of her life at the Laurens Care Center, where she had given many hours reading and playing piano for residents as a visitor over the years. She died from complications of dementia. Joyce requested no funeral, just a graveside service for the family.

Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Leigh and Ed Adcock of Ames; grandsons Richard Adcock of Washington, DC, and David Adcock of Des Moines; brother Richard Anderson of Trenton, Missouri; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard Rigby; and one sister, Mary Joan (Anderson) Kaskey.

Donations in memoriam may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Laurens United Methodist Church, Laurens Public Library or your local no-kill animal shelter.