Joyce Elaine Shaver

Joyce Elaine Shaver, 69, of Liberty, MO, went to meet Jesus at 9:15 AM on Tuesday March 28th, 2017, at Liberty Hospital. Joyce was born on December 17th, 1947 in Weaubleau, MO to Vernon and Irene Burnfin. She resided there until the age of two when the family relocated to Kansas City, MO. Joyce graduated from North Kansas City High School in 1965. She began a career as a ballroom dance instructor at Arthur Murray dance studio where in 1972, she met her best friend and the love of her life, Kenneth Shaver. They married February 16th, 1974 at Bethel Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO and remained married for a wonderful 43 years where they enjoyed traveling together, dancing together, and just being with each other. Joyce possessed so many amazing qualities and will be desperately missed by her family and friends. She was empathetic and compassionate, and always had time to lend a listening ear. Joyce was incredibly loyal and had a servant’s heart which was evident in the way that she readily took care of anyone who entered her home; All were welcome, and all would leave full and well cared for. She was an avid baseball fan that began as a child scorekeeping her little brother’s games, and continued as she never missed a Royals game. Joyce had an incredible sense of fun and loved to dance to Bruce Springsteen or listen to Elvis. She once entered a hula hoop contest at Worlds of Fun against a bunch of young kids and won showing her hips never lost her natural dance ability. She took great pride in her role as a homemaker once she and Ken started their family. As Ken worked long hours, Joyce kept an immaculate home and together they raised two amazing children. Joyce’s love for being a mother and grandmother kept her extremely busy, but also extremely fulfilled. Her children and their spouses loved to tease her about her family record keeping that she did on her yearly calendar, and the notes she wrote to remind herself about what to tell them, but all admit that these conversations are something that they will miss the most. Joyce is survived by: her husband, Ken; one son, Daniel Shaver and wife Jessica; one daughter, Kimberly Leimkuhler and her husband Thomas, three granddaughters, Hailey and Charli Shaver, and Adilynn Leimkuhler; two grandsons, Eli Leimkuhler and Jacob Shaver; three siblings, Dennis Burnfin and wife Leslie, Vickie Hampton and husband Jim, and Robbie Smith, along with many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, and a brother in law Ray Smith. Visitation will be Thursday, March 30th from 5:00-7:00 at Park Lawn Funeral Home in Liberty, MO, and funeral will be at 11:00 on Friday, March 31st also at Park Lawn. Private family burial will be held afterwards in Weaubleau, MO, services under the care and direction of the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, MO Memorials can be made to the Kitty Cat Connection in Kansas City, MO. The family would also like to request that in Joyce’s memory you dance in your house while dusting to Dancing in the Dark, hula hoop with reckless abandon, or make some fried chicken for your family.

Joyce Elaine Shaver

December 17, 1947 - March 28, 2017