Joyce Nielsen

Joyce Lavonne Nielsen, age 67, of Aurora, passed away Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at Grand Island Regional Medical Center.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 26, at 10 a.m. at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary. There will be no visitation. Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.
She grew up in Hampton and attended Hampton High School graduating in 1974. She excelled in sports and was athletic queen her senior year, along with the honor of being drum major. Joyce worked for numerous farmers until working at Nebraska Women’s Correctional Center in York as a Corporal for over 20 years. She retired from there and began working at Aurora High School as a custodian and bus driver. She continued driving the bus after retiring from Aurora Public Schools.
Joycie loved spending time with her great-nieces and nephews. She enjoyed the mountains and being out in nature, driving her custom jeep Rubicon, and was the ultimate dog whisperer. Things that annoyed her were smacking gum, bad perfume, cats, and wearing dresses. She enjoyed giving driving lessons to her nieces and nephews and loved spending time with her numerous friend groups. It was never a dull moment around the dinner table. She would always put others before herself and would do anything for her family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Miriam Quiring, sister Gaylene Grosshans, and brother-in-law Marion Travis.
Those left to cherish her memory are her nieces and nephews, Brandon (Tanya) Grosshans, Carrie (Mike) Crosby, and Darrin (Megan) Grosshans, all of Aurora; and Katie Travis; 9 great nieces and nephews, Abbigale, Levi, Luke, Eli, Kaylee, Kayden, and Zaiah of Aurora and Noah and Levi Anderson. She is also survived by a sister, Connie Travis, brother-in-law Nick Grosshans and many other relatives and friends.