Joyce Madalyn Tibbs

Joyce, 96, passed away peacefully on September 4, 2026, at Methodist Hospital after being hospitalized with difficulty breathing due to fluid buildup in her lungs caused by congestive heart failure. If you knew Joyce, you knew one thing for sure: she was always on the go. Sitting still was not really her thing. In fact, she had a serious case of FOMO-Fear of Missing Out. If something was happening, she wanted to be part of it! Her first husband, Jack, would often ask her, "Can't you just sit down?" Years later, her second husband, Stewart Lee, had another name for her: "the Energizer Bunny." Both descriptions were pretty much spot-on. She had a zest for life, a good sense of humor, a curious nature and a genuine interest in the world and the people around her. She loved being busy, trying new things, making friends, playing games, traveling and, above all, enjoying life. Joyce was born on December 14, 1929, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the third child of Andrew and Mary Mickelsen. In 1936, the family moved to Hancock, Michigan, where she graduated as salutatorian of her high school class in 1947. Her artistic talent was already evident, with her artwork appearing in the school yearbook. She graduated with distinction from Northern Michigan University with a B.S. in Art Education and continued her art studies through summer classes at the University of Minnesota. While teaching in Hancock, she met John "Jack" Tibbs, an art and English teacher. They married in 1952 and began a life filled with teaching, family, creativity and adventure. Their daughter Jana Lee was born in 1954, followed by Jill in 1957 and Alison in 1964 after the family moved to the Twin Cities. She was a teacher at heart, substitute teaching in St. Louis Park and Hopkins before becoming a full-time paraprofessional in the Career Center at Park Senior High School. She also led Camp Fire Girls, belonged to the St. Louis Park Garden Club, served as president of the St. Louis Park Women's Club and formed friendships that lasted throughout her life. Art was one of her greatest loves. She was an extraordinarily talented watercolor artist and a longtime member of the Minnesota Watercolor Society, where she was active for more than 20 years and had many juried pieces. She was rarely without a painting in progress or a sketchbook in hand while traveling. She also created beautiful banners for her church and handmade Christmas cards for family and friends year after year-a tradition many looked forward to receiving. She loved the outdoors and nature. When she and Jack lived in Minnetonka, she lovingly tended a gorgeous rose garden. She especially enjoyed the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, as well as camping, hiking, cross-country skiing and spending time along the North Shore, at Lake of the Woods and in our National Parks. Joyce had expressed a wish to have a memorial plaque placed on a living tree at the Arboretum, along with Jack. It would be a fitting tribute in a place she loved so much. Because both worked for the school system, summer camping trips became a family tradition. Their backyard was a place where people gathered. Summer meant neighborhood bonfires, with the parents visiting while the kids played Kick-the-Can and swung on a huge rope swing, launching themselves into piles of leaves. In winter, neighborhood children slid down the hill beside their house. Joyce and Jack were part of a group of six couples who affectionately called themselves "The Dirty Dozen." Three of the couples were neighbors-Joyce and Jack, Mary and Ray Hegre, and Marilyn and Frank Drew-while the other three couples, Judi and Gary Howard, Arlene and Don Schmid, and Jean and Joe McFarlin, were close friends. Together, they formed a remarkably close-knit group whose friendships lasted for decades. They stayed in touch, gathered together and continued to nurture those special friendships over the years. Three of the original "Dirty Dozen" remain: Marilyn Drew, 87, and Frank Drew, 89, of Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, and Judi Howard, 84, of Minnetonka. Joyce and these couples became friends in 1972, and their friendships remained strong for more than 50 years. All three were dear friends of Joyce's, and they continued to stay connected with her over the years. Frank, Marilyn and Judi would meet regularly with Joyce, often having lunch together in the dining room at Park Shore, with Judi's daughter Jill sometimes joining them, or meeting Joyce halfway at a favorite restaurant. Faith was deeply woven into her life and family history. Her faith in Jesus Christ was central to who she was. Like anyone, she experienced stress and worry, but her faith gave her a way to navigate those difficult moments. She would turn her worries over to Jesus, trusting Him with the things she could not control and trusting Him to guide her. She passed that faith on to her family. She was a light in the lives of many, sharing wisdom, happiness, humor and encouragement. Her father, Pastor Andrew Mickelsen, was instrumental in establishing the Apostolic Lutheran Church in Hancock, Michigan, where he served as pastor and held one service in English and another in Finnish. The congregation grew over the years, and the family remained deeply connected to its faith community. One branch of that church's history eventually led to the Lutheran church where her Celebration of Life will be held at Plymouth Lutheran Church. In 1974, the Lahti family offered their land along Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to Pastor Mickelsen and the church, with the hope that it could become a Bible camp. Two of her brothers and two of her brothers-in-law, who lived in the area, were part of the "Camp Lahti Carpenters," volunteering their time and talents to help build what is now the Lahti Retreat Center. The stainless steel cross atop the chapel came from the original Apostolic Lutheran Church in Hancock, which burned in the 1980s. Inside the cross is a dedication from the family of Andrew and Mary Mickelsen, honoring their parents and pastor and looking ahead to future generations. Today, the center is used year-round for Bible camps, family gatherings, retreats and weddings. The family has continued that tradition of gathering there, enjoying family reunions at Lahti for more than 30 years. It seems especially fitting that her Celebration of Life will be held at Plymouth Lutheran Church-a place connected to the faith tradition that was such an important part of her family's history and her own life. She formed so many close and lasting friendships here, which became an important part of her community and her life. She was also involved with Healing Hands Network, where she learned hands-on healing from Jaentra Green Gardener. She loved the practice and the friendships it brought into her life, and she continued attending Monday evening meetings until near the end of her life, with someone from the group picking her up each week. After surviving Stage 3 ovarian cancer in 1997 and again in 2003, she participated in the MOCA Survivor's Walk every year, celebrating life and the gift of another day. She was one tough cookie! She loved to travel and had many adventures throughout her life. Her travels took her throughout the United States and to Canada, Austria, England, Scotland, Wales, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. One of her favorite traditions was spending several weeks each year in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a tradition she enjoyed for approximately 25 years. She traveled there with her sister Fayth, other friends and family, and later with Stewart. They would also meet other friends from Canada there every year. She continued traveling to Puerto Vallarta until she was 93, when her health made travel too difficult. In 2006, she was introduced to Stewart Lee by a mutual friend. They married in 2015 and shared many happy years together. Stewart passed away on Memorial Day, 2026. Just a few months later, she passed away over Labor Day weekend. Perhaps there is something fitting in that timing: Stewart's passing on a day of remembrance, and hers on a weekend meant for enjoying life-something she was always so determined to do. She loved living at Park Shore Senior Community in St. Louis Park, where she quickly became a familiar and much-loved member of the community. She enjoyed the many activities and friendships there, including book clubs, Rummikub, Blackjack, Bingo and the walking group known as "Tina's Turtles." She also participated in Bunco and the St. Louis Park Women's Club at locations off site. She loved meeting people, making friends and, of course, making sure she never missed out on anything. Her philosophy was simple: "Enjoy every single day of my life." Her mind remained remarkably sharp right up until the end. She was incredibly knowledgeable about her health, keeping track of her medications, dosages and what each one was for. She weighed herself daily, regularly checked her blood pressure and kept careful notes in a little notebook that she brought to her doctor's appointments. She also firmly believed in the power of talk therapy and often said it had changed her life. She believed in taking care of not only her physical health, but her emotional and mental well-being as well. She was also surprisingly tech-savvy! Her Apple Watch was chosen as an alternative to a medical alert necklace, giving her the ability to ask Siri to call her daughter or 911 if she needed help. But Joyce quickly discovered Siri could do much more. Once, while driving by herself through Canada to visit relatives, she got a little lost. Rather than panic, she asked Siri for help-and, by golly, Siri got her back on track! She also used her Amazon Echo Dot every day to play music and listen to the news, which she had cleverly programmed to come on automatically each morning. She learned to add calendar events and "invite" her daughter, send web links and communicate with emojis. She embraced technology with the same curiosity and determination she brought to everything else in life. She was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Mary Mickelsen; her daughters, Jana Pile and Jill Sanko; her first husband, John "Jack" Tibbs; her second husband, Stewart Lee; her siblings, Naomi Johnson, James Mickelsen and David Mickelsen; her nieces and nephews, David Johnson, Tom Mickelsen, Becky Kozyra, Kent Wolfe and Kris Wolfe; and her brothers- and sisters-in-law, Phil and Tom Johnson, Bob Nominelli, Ross Wolfe and Marilyn Mickelsen. She is survived by her sisters, Norma Nominelli of Hancock, Michigan, and Fayth Wolfe of Stuart, Florida; her daughter, Alison (Steve) Caputo; Alison's daughters, Valerie Beery and Amanda Beery; and her other grandchildren, Heather (Jeremy) Pendleton, Sean Pile, Nick (Courtney) Pile, Chris (Cassie) Sanko, Shannon Sanko and Jessica Sanko. She is also survived by her niece Paula Tibbs, with whom she stayed in touch over the years; her bonus daughter, Stewart's daughter-in-law Mary Lee of Prescott, Wisconsin, and her children, Cindy (Tom) Blomquist and Patrick Healey and his longtime partner, Nicole Heuer; and Stewart's daughter Cyndi (Tim) Bothwell of Vancouver, Washington, and her children, Brian Bothwell and Erin Bothwell. She leaves behind a beautiful legacy of faith, family, friendship, laughter, creativity and a remarkable zest for life. She taught those around her to keep moving, keep laughing, keep creating, keep loving-and, when life gets complicated, just trust Jesus. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered. Celebration of Joyce's Life: Evening of Remembrance Friday, October 16, 2026 5:00-8:00 p.m. Stories, memories and light refreshments Celebration of Life Saturday, October 17, 2026 10:00-11:00 a.m. - Visitation 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Service Lunch to follow Plymouth Lutheran Church 11015 Old County Road 15 Plymouth, MN 55441 Burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery Monday, October 19, 2026, at 9:00 am We request that IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, please send donations to: Plymouth Lutheran Church 11015 Old County Rd 15 Plymouth, MN 55441 (763) 544-7248 Or donate online to: MOCA (Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance) https://secure.qgiv.com/for/nfdmoca/

Joyce Madalyn Tibbs

December 14, 1929 - September 4, 2026

Explore Obituaries &
Upcoming Services