Joyce H. (Copeland) Tanner passed away peacefully after a lengthy illness at Helen Porter Hospital nursing facility on April 6, 2017 Joyce was the daughter of Walter Copeland and Inez (Potter) Copeland of Plainfield, Vermont.
Joyce graduated from Plainfield high school and then pursued a nursing career at East Montpelier Hospital and later worked at the Degoesbriand unit in Burlington where she meet her future husband Lawrence E. Tanner from Bakersfield, Vermont.
In 1959 Joyce and her family moved to Bristol where they took up dairy farming with their four children.
The Tanners ran a dairy farm from 1959 until 1981 at which time they again chose a new career path of working with lumber and processing custom cut lumber until Mr. Tanners health started to decline in 1993.
After Mr. Tanner’s passing Joyce took on another career for a period of time as a part time binary person working at Valley Print & Mail in Hinesburg.
Joyce was a Legion member of Post 19 auxiliary for the past 19 years.
Joyce truly enjoyed the outdoors and would spend countless hours working in her vegetable garden or flowers until her health started to decline as well.
Joyce spent the last two years sharing residents with her daughter Debra and her husband Danny before going to Helen Porter hospital.
Joyce was predeceased by her son Michael Tanner of Plainfield, husband Lawrence Tanner of Bristol, brothers Wayland Copeland, Lynn Copeland, Stanley Copeland and sister, Phillis (Copeland) Martin. .
Joyce is survived by her daughters Barbara (Tanner )Kennett of Marshfield, Joanne Tanner and her significant other Reggie Swenor of Bristol, Debra and her husband Danny Grace of Bristol, a step daughter Roberta McDonald of Florida, a sister inlaw Rita Copeland of Marshfield, a sister in law Wilma and her husband Rod Boutin of Burlington,Vermont, sister in law Theresa Tanner of Florida, 15 grandchildren,43 great grandchildren and 27 great great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, April 12th at Brown-McClay Funeral Home in Bristol from 10 to 11 a.m. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at Brown-McClay Funeral Home in Bristol. There will be a gathering at the American Legion Post 19 following services.
In lieu of flowers the family would like to ask that donations be made to either The Bristol Animal Hospital, Helen Porter Memory Unit or a designated area of ones choice.
