Joyce Marie Kochan of Mequon died on September 26, 2025, after a long struggle with dementia. Joyce was born in Two Rivers WI. on February 24, 1941, to Urban and Gertrude Geimer. She attended St. Lukes School and graduated in 1959 from Washington High School.

Joyce married James Kochan at St. Lukes in 1964 and moved with him from Milwaukee to Madison to Cleveland OH to New York and then to Mequon. Together they had five children. Ann Knocke (Jim), Susan Kochan, Joan Schade (Mike), Jenny Marquez and James Jr. who died at birth.  Grandchildren are Tim Schade and wife Megan, Sarah and Katherine Schade, Lisa and George Knocke and Matthew Marquez.

Joyce is also survived by brother Ben Geimer (Shirley) and sister Eileen Strutz, sisters-in-law Gerta Geimer, Mary Van Os, Mary Hoffman (Martin), Carol Mangin, and Sister Leonette Kochan, and brother-in-law Thomas Kochan (Kathy). She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Eugene, Gerald, Allen and Wayne, sisters Louise and Jenny, sisters-in-law Diane Geimer and Judy Geimer and brothers-in-law John Thiede, Jerry Paider, Allen Strutz, Lee Van Os and Les Mangin.

In 61 years of marriage, Joyce gave husband Jim and her daughters unfailing love and support as they moved several times for Jim’s employment opportunities. She was a very active member of Sacred Heart Parish in Suffern, NY and supporter of Sacred Heart School. She then became an active member of Lumen Christi Parish in Mequon and supporter of St. Hyacinth food pantry in Milwaukee.

In addition to managing the household, Joyce enjoyed sewing, baking, playing bridge, traveling to Europe and to the National Parks, and weekends at the lake house. But her greatest loves were her girls, her grandkids and many nieces, nephews and their children. She greatly enjoyed hosting all of them twice each year at the house on Pigeon Lake.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at Lumen Christi Parish, 2750 W. Mequon Rd. Mequon, WI, 53092. Visitation will be from 11am until the time of Mass at noon. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Jim Luther New Hope Center, 1414 W. Becher St., Milwaukee WI. 53215.

The family would like to thank the staff members of Azura Memory Care and Allay Hospice in Fox Point for the loving care they gave Joyce in her years with dementia.