Joyce Danae Mayer

(May 17, 1930 - June 13, 2012)

Joyce D. Mayer, 82, of Cody, died at West Park Hospital Long Term Care on Wednesday, June 13, 2012.

Joyce Danae Mayer was born May 17, 1930 in Huron, S.D. Before she was a year old her parents, Bill and Tiny Calfee moved to Cody, where Bill and his parents had lived and had attended school years before.

At a very early age, Joyce became interested in horses and all the excitement they offered. She was liable to wander out to the corral and slide off the fence onto any one of the horses she could reach and take a little ride around the corral.

By the time she was 6 she had her own buckskin unbroken horse, Buddy, which she (with the capable assistance of her Uncle Bud) broke and trained. Joyce always rode the horse bareback as she didn’t have a saddle. Buddy was stolen the second year Joyce had him.

When Joyce was 10, Fred McGee, president of the First National Bank, talked to Joyce’s father and told him about a white horse at Rim Rock Ranch that was for sale and he would like Joyce to have him. He had been too high strung for a “dude” horse. Pee Wee was Joyce’s birthday present and they were always permanent attractions in the night rodeo parades and competitions at the rodeo. She was presented a pair of silver mounted spurs at the Fourth of July 1940, for running Pee Wee in the Cowgirl race and again, no saddle.

When Joyce was 15, Jim Corder, who was always very interested in horses told Joyce about a new black gelding he had just brought in from Heart Mountain and thought she might like to own him. That black beauty she named Pepper and he was all Jim thought he would be. Joyce raced him in Cody and also won Labor Day races in Bridger, Mont. The Curtis boys in Meeteetse also used Pepper in the Cowboy relay races.

In 1947 Joyce had a serious accident in a horse race that resulted in her being in St Vincent Hospital for a year in a body cast and that put an end to her rodeo days.

While Joyce had always been a horse enthusiast at 15 there was another major interest. That happened to be a Cody High School Senior, Ralph Mayer. Joyce was 15 and Ralph turned 17 a week later. It was a love that lasted and continued to grow for 67 years!

Joyce and Ralph were married April 3, 1950 in Jackson in the Episcopal church.

From that day on it was always their home life and being together with the children. Though the time Ralph served with the National Guard in wartime Korea took him away, when he came home he was greeted by his 9-month-old daughter, Danae. Later there was a son, Bill, and another son, Mitch. Joyce and Ralph loved the family always being together.

For 18 years Joyce worked as the executive secretary for the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, which expanded and is now the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. She also was very proud to have served as president of the Board of the Council on Aging for 16 years.

Joyce’s home always shined like a dime, the meals were always homemade and yummy. The family loved a lot, laughed often and learned how to be a very close and loving family to this day. Joyce loved Ralph more than life and that love was mutual.

Once when Joyce was asked why she would never join clubs, and if she didn’t, what would they put in her obituary? She replied, “If they just say I was always a good wife and mother that will be enough.”

Joyce is survived by her best friend and loving husband Ralph Mayer; children Danae, Bill and Mitch; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at Ballard Funeral Home on Saturday, June 16 with Jerry Lanchbury officiating. Burial followed at Riverside Cemetery.