Joyce Lou Ree (Mullins) Cone

Funeral services for Joyce Cone will be at 2:30pm Friday, September 4, 2020 at the Central Christian Church with Pastor Don Thomas officiating assisted at the graveside by her brother-in-law, Dr Claude Cone.  Joyce will be escorted to her grave site at the Portales Cemetery by: Paul Maulsby, David McDermid, Wayne McAlister, Craig Lockwood, Lane Wallace, Gaylon Cowen, Jimmy Duncan, and Rod Savage.  Dr. Buck Wilson along with all of the countless "kids" that she coached in 4-H and FFA will serve as honorary pallbearers.  The family will receive guests at the funeral home on Thurs. evening from 6 to 8 PM.  Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to the Roosevelt County Junior Livestock sales: Roosevelt County Fair Board, Jr. Livestock Sale, P.O. Box 535, Portales, NM 88130.

Joyce Lou Ree Mullins Cone passed into eternal rest on Monday afternoon, August 31, 2020, surrounded by family.  Joyce was born on December 2, 1941 in Clovis to the home of (Opal) Lucille Moon and Ollie Lee Mullins and grew up on the family farm in the Forrest, New Mexico community.  Joyce contracted polio at age 4, was in an iron lung, and her parents were told she would not live.  Joyce pushed forward with a spirit and determination that lasted throughout her life and proved that she could live and enjoy health and happiness. 

Joyce moved to school in Melrose her sophomore year due to the closure of the Forrest School and met Terry Cone, the love of her life.  They attended ENMU and Joyce received a degree in Business Education.  Joyce and Terry married on December 21, 1963 and enjoyed 57 years of marriage.  They lived in Odessa for a brief time after they married but returned to Portales, and it has always been their home.

Joyce and Terry have one son, Mike, who was the delight of her life (before grandchildren of course) and when he became old enough for 4-H, Joyce jumped in with all her heart.  She loved fairs and steer shows, working long hours with Mike to be sure he and his animals were ready for show day.  Joyce served on the Fair Board and wrote the grant that brought the Pavilion to the Roosevelt County Fair Grounds.  Joyce was a 4-H leader for Valley 4-H club and later was a strong supporter of the Portales FFA.  Joyce trained judging teams in wildlife and entomology long after Mike left high school and traveled the state to cheer her teams on.  After her grandchildren, Kaly and Koby, became old enough to show and enter school, Joyce’s focus shifted to the Dora Schools where they attended, and she enjoyed another round of fairs and show animals.  Joyce was a charter member of the Roosevelt County Livestock Sale Committee and the New Mexico Club Calf Association.  Joyce created a statewide stock show newspaper, the Show Case, and she was the editor, photographer and advertising salesperson.  The Cone family started the Jingle Bell Classic, the largest steer/heifer jackpot in NM, which is held in December in Portales each year,

Joyce was a civic leader and loved beautiful parties, sharing her home and seasonal decorations, especially Christmas in every room of the house, with the many groups with which she was associated.  She was associated with Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority, Portales Woman’s Club, Altrusa, Beta Sigma Phi, Roosevelt County Cowbelles, Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, the Greyhound Club, and ENMU Alumni Organization.  Joyce served as president and advisor for several of these organizations and was a willing worker in each one.

Joyce loved sports of all kinds, she played a mean tether ball as a youth and followed the Greyhounds, the Portales Rams, the Dora Coyotes and the Texico Wolverines.  Joyce didn’t just like the game; she loved the players.  Joyce started the Zia Mom group to adopt female basketball players who were away from home and then expanded to include volleyball players also.  Joyce really admired female athletes and their abilities.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Lucille Moon Mullins and Ollie Lee Mullins, and her in-laws, Sterling and Dorothy Cone, as well as by Adam Anthony who was like a "second son."  Joyce is survived by her husband, Terry Cone and her son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Karen Cone.  Joyce has two very special grandchildren who she loved with all her heart, Koby Cone and Mikaela Cone.  She is also survived by her sister, Shirley Mullins Lockwood and husband Joel, her niece Brande Miller (George) and son Baylen and her nephew Craig Lockwood (Laci) and their daughter Jillian.  She is also survived by many cousins and friends. Special thanks to Joyce’s skilled caregivers Susana Sigala, and Interim nurses MiKayla and Carrie, and Shana Beggs.

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