Joyce Elaine Brace

For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.
PSALM 48:14

Obituary

There is a hole in the hearts of many as Joyce Elaine “Joycee” Brace passed away on the evening of December 7, 2025, at the age of 92. A devoted mother, Nana, sister, cousin, and friend, Joyce was deeply loved.

Joycee’s unwavering Catholic faith was her strength and her foundation—followed closely by her joy for bridge, her loyalty to the Denver Broncos, and her enthusiasm for nearly any televised sporting event. She led with kindness, warmth, and a radiant smile that welcomed everyone in. That same smile, however, could be delightfully deceptive at the bridge table, where her competitive spirit always shone through.

Joycee was the loving mother of three: Christopher Brace (deceased), Mary Livingston, and Eric Brace, and mother-in-law to Jessica Brace. She was the proud Nana of three grandchildren: Clare Livingston, Eric Livingston, and Hudson Brace. She is survived by her three sisters, Carol Goode, Nancy Wheelen, and Linda Hodges; her brother-in-law, Dave Goode; former sister-in-law, Phyllis Clifford; and many beloved cousins, especially Shirley Montague Smith.

Born on March 7, 1933, in Topeka, Kansas, Joyce Elaine Staab was the first daughter of Alphonse J. Staab and Clara Glotzbach. When Joyce was just 14, she lost her mother—an early heartbreak that shaped her life with both resilience and tenderness. She graduated from Hayden Catholic High School and later made her way to Colorado, earning a degree from Loretto Heights University. Soon after, she married Virgil Gene Brace, and together they built a life rooted in faith, family, and community in Arvada, Colorado. During these years, Joyce also enjoyed a dedicated career as an Executive Legal Secretary for Texasgulf Inc.

Though her life held its share of hardship—and profound loss—Joycee carried these experiences as a source of empathy, meeting others with understanding, compassion, and hope. Simply put, Joycee loved people, and she cherished the connections that brought meaning to her life.

Joycee passed peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones, leaving behind a legacy of love, generosity, resilience, and connection. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

A Service and Celebration of Life will be held on June 06, 2026 at 11:00 am for Joycee at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Lakewood CO. located at2563 Kipling St, Lakewood, CO. 80215, followed with reception at the home of her daughter, Mary Livingston.

Gallery

Memory wall