In Memory Of
Joyce Yvonne Bridgeman
1940
2016
Joyce Yvonne Bridgeman
May 12, 1940 — October 17, 2016
Joyce Yvonne Bridgeman moved from her home in Olathe, KS to the place in heaven prepared for her by her Savior on Monday, October 17, 2016.
She was born on May 12, 1940 in Hendrix Village, Lincoln County in Minnesota to Fritiof Ferdinand Swenson and Ethel (Carton) Swenson, the baby of their 4 children. In 1947 Fritiof felt the Lord moving in his heart and went forward for salvation in a camp meeting service and Joyce, at the age of 7, followed her father to the front and gave her life to the Lord Jesus. Fritiof and Ethel contracted through church grape-vines with a young man for a lift to Nampa Idaho and Northwest Nazarene College (now University) that fall. That young man was Warren Henry Nyhus and they were married on December 26, 1959.
Coupled with school, the local roller rink and jobs at the Dairy Queen, Joyce soon also took on the role of mother to two children before Warren graduated and they moved back to Minnesota, beginning with Crookston, then Duluth, a stint in Ann Arbor, Michigan for Warren's graduate degree, before settling in Blaine, Minnesota. One more child followed and as he neared school age, Joyce began working at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Division. Joyce earned the recognition of her peers and supervisors throughout the division and after 30 years of promotions, she retired as the Financial Manager for the division.
Joyce was active in her local church, wherever they lived, working on the missions committees, children's ministry, choir and wherever she saw a need. One of her pastors shared that among the many different roles she held, one of his favorites was "Pastor Encourager". On the Minnesota District of the Church of the Nazarene, Joyce served as the Nazarene Missions International Secretary from 1990 – 2006 and was given the Distinguished Service Award by the District in 2002.
Warren passed away in early 2002, and this was noted by Mr. Hobart Bridgeman, who she'd met during her high school years when she visited her sister in Illinois. Hobart, known to his friends as Bart, reached out to Joyce with condolences and sought to comfort her and get reacquainted with her. Bart and Joyce were married on June 23, 2003 in St. Louis, Missouri. They moved to Olathe before too long to be nearer to family and sunk roots into College Church of the Nazarene where Joyce sang in the choir.
She is preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Russel Swenson; a sister, Delores Swenson; and her first husband Warren.
Joyce is survived by her husband Bart; sister, Arlys DeWitt of Oskaloosa, IA; daughter Kim (David) Price of Fayetteville, GA; sons Greg (Wendy) Nyhus of Lee's Summit, MO and Jeff (Rhonda) Nyhus of Olathe; as well as eight grandchildren.
To leave a special message for her family or to share a memory of Joyce, click on the "Share Memories" tab above or scroll down below.
She was born on May 12, 1940 in Hendrix Village, Lincoln County in Minnesota to Fritiof Ferdinand Swenson and Ethel (Carton) Swenson, the baby of their 4 children. In 1947 Fritiof felt the Lord moving in his heart and went forward for salvation in a camp meeting service and Joyce, at the age of 7, followed her father to the front and gave her life to the Lord Jesus. Fritiof and Ethel contracted through church grape-vines with a young man for a lift to Nampa Idaho and Northwest Nazarene College (now University) that fall. That young man was Warren Henry Nyhus and they were married on December 26, 1959.
Coupled with school, the local roller rink and jobs at the Dairy Queen, Joyce soon also took on the role of mother to two children before Warren graduated and they moved back to Minnesota, beginning with Crookston, then Duluth, a stint in Ann Arbor, Michigan for Warren's graduate degree, before settling in Blaine, Minnesota. One more child followed and as he neared school age, Joyce began working at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Division. Joyce earned the recognition of her peers and supervisors throughout the division and after 30 years of promotions, she retired as the Financial Manager for the division.
Joyce was active in her local church, wherever they lived, working on the missions committees, children's ministry, choir and wherever she saw a need. One of her pastors shared that among the many different roles she held, one of his favorites was "Pastor Encourager". On the Minnesota District of the Church of the Nazarene, Joyce served as the Nazarene Missions International Secretary from 1990 – 2006 and was given the Distinguished Service Award by the District in 2002.
Warren passed away in early 2002, and this was noted by Mr. Hobart Bridgeman, who she'd met during her high school years when she visited her sister in Illinois. Hobart, known to his friends as Bart, reached out to Joyce with condolences and sought to comfort her and get reacquainted with her. Bart and Joyce were married on June 23, 2003 in St. Louis, Missouri. They moved to Olathe before too long to be nearer to family and sunk roots into College Church of the Nazarene where Joyce sang in the choir.
She is preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Russel Swenson; a sister, Delores Swenson; and her first husband Warren.
Joyce is survived by her husband Bart; sister, Arlys DeWitt of Oskaloosa, IA; daughter Kim (David) Price of Fayetteville, GA; sons Greg (Wendy) Nyhus of Lee's Summit, MO and Jeff (Rhonda) Nyhus of Olathe; as well as eight grandchildren.
To leave a special message for her family or to share a memory of Joyce, click on the "Share Memories" tab above or scroll down below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joyce Yvonne Bridgeman, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Thursday, October 20, 2016
2:00 - 3:00 pm (Central time)
College Church
Guestbook
Visits: 2
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors