Joyce Alberta Johnson Booman was born on April 22, 1928 in Seattle, Washington. Her parents Hilda and Leonard provided her a loving spiritual home and encouraged her education. She attended the University of Washington at a time when there were few women students and graduated with a degree in Home Economics. Joyce married her beloved husband Glenn and settled in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The couple devoted themselves to raising their children, Jim Booman and Jan Booman Saeed, and took great pride and joy in seeing them grow and develop lives of purpose and service.Joyce herself lived a life of service and believed that work was as worshiping God if done in the service of others. She was active in volunteering to assist women and children in need ‚ giving of her time and talents to the American Association of University Women and the WIC program, assisting migrant workers with programs for their children, initiating a program to start grade school libraries in Idaho Falls, and volunteering with reading programs in grade schools and an international university library into her later years.Joyce was a woman of great faith, believing with all her heart in the oneness of God and religion. In 1966 she became a member of the Baha'i Faith, of which she wrote: "I am eternally grateful to God for having found Baha\u\llah and the Baha\i Faith‚Ķ The Faith truly became ‚Äòmy guide and my refuge' as I continued to raise our children, and to serve mankind as a volunteer in schools and libraries for as long as I was able.\"Europe held a special place in Joyce\s heart, starting from when Glenn\s work took them to Austria for 5 years, she served as an NGO representative for the Baha\i International Community at the United Nations in Vienna. After Glenn's retirement the couple moved to Switzerland where Joyce volunteered as a librarian at the Landegg Baha'i Academy. The couple finally settled in Salt Lake City where she was active in the Baha'i community and serving the needs of refugees in the area. Joyce was always a loving and encouraging grandmother, reacting with wonder and amazement to all her grandkids did, always greeting them with a big smile and her signature kiss on the forehead. She was always enamored with the babies in a group and when her first great grandchild came, she was totally won over and when ever she saw her, she was always cheered.Joyce spent the last year at The Emeritus -Assisted Living Center. She was appreciative of the great care and support she received. The friendship that Joyce found there brought a lot of joy to her in her final days.Joyce's joyful spirit winged its flight to the eternal realm on January 15, 2015, surrounded by the love and prayers of family and friends. She was 86 years old. Funeral Services will be held11:00 am, Monday, January 19, 2015at Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary, 2340 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108. Graveside prayers will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
