Colleen “Joy” Norcross, 89, of Great Falls, passed away Oct. 22, 2016 at Kindred Park Place Nursing Home. A Memorial Service will be held in her honor on Monday, Oct. 31, 2016 at 11:00 AM in the Rose Room Chapel at Croxford Funeral Home, 1307 Central Ave., Great Falls.

Joy was born Aug. 25, 1927 in Sleepy Eye, Minn., to Kenneth and Mildred (Lowe) Franklin. Her family moved to Modesto, CA when she was seven years old. She graduated from Compton High School in 1944.

She met her future husband, Melvin Norcross, at Bible Seminary in Long Beach, CA. They were married on July 27, 1947 in Compton, CA. To this union was born, Carol “Cindy” Jauert and Joel Norcross.

Joy loved to play the piano and taught many students in her home. Everyone loved to listen to her play. She also had a beautiful singing voice. She studied music at the University of Redlands, CA for three years. She moved to Montana in 1996 to be close to family. In 2014, she gave up her home and moved into the Eagles Manor where she lived for two years. She loved to listen to the word of God and devoted her life to serving him.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Melvin.

Survivors include her children, Cindy (Chris) Jauert, of Great Falls, MT and Joel Norcross, of Salem, OR; two granddaughters, Valerie (Norm) Alexander, of Washougal, WA and Jolene (Andy) Crites, of Moscow, ID; four great-grandchildren, Jessica Jauert, Willow and Graydon Crites, and Grace Weikel; her brother, Gardner Franklin, of Huntington Beach, CA; brother-in-law, Jim Norcross, of Chandler, AZ; sisters-in-law, Wonlyn Chapman, of Cottage Grove, OR and Weltha Jean Coffer, of Yucaipa, CA; many nieces, nephews and dear friends.

 Service Information