Joyce K. (nee Barna) Koehler, originally from Ironwood, MI, and a longtime resident of Menomonee Falls passed away peacefully on November 17, 2021.

Joyce was born on July 9, 1942 to Charles and Bernice Barna of Ironwood, MI. She graduated from St. Ambrose High School in Ironwood, and then ventured off to Milwaukee to stay in a boarding house and work for Wisconsin Bell (Ameritech/At&T), which would be her lifetime employer until 1984 when she retired. In 1972 she married John (Jack) Koehler and they bought a house and settled in Menomonee Falls, where they lived for 49 years.

Joyce loved animals of all kinds and at one point she and Jack had five dogs and four cats. She loved to feed all the animals that lived in the fields and woods surrounding their house-racoons, coyotes, turtles, birds-basically any critter that showed up! In retirement, Joyce poured her energy into crafts, helping her friend Chris run a business selling dried flower arrangements at craft fairs. Joyce was also an expert knitter and blessed her nieces & nephews and friends with numerous "Joyce original" sweaters and blankets. Everything Joyce did was with passion and plenty.

Joyce is survived by her nieces and nephews, Brenda (nee Barna) (Jim) Hernday of Oshkosh, Paul (Cherie) Barna of Texas, Michele (nee Barna) Andre of Green Bay, James Barna of Colorado, Gina Barna, and numerous cousins and great nieces and nephews.

The family would like to give special thanks to the Aurora Zilber Family Hospice for their kind and compassionate care of Joyce in her last days.

A short celebration of Joyce's life will be held a the Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home in Menomonee Falls on Monday Nov. 22 at 4 PM. Visitation will be from 3 PM until the time of the Celebration. Joyce will then be buried with Jack and her parents at Riverside Cemetery in Ironwood, MI in the spring of 2022.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Waukesha County Humane Society in memory of Joyce.