Joyce Elaine Bachtel, 74, of Leavenworth, Kansas, passed away on June 23, 2023 after a brief but valiant fight with brain cancer.
Joyce was born on February 26, 1949 to Edward and Lela Swartz. Joyce grew up in Chapman and Leavenworth, Kansas. She graduated from Leavenworth High School in 1967. She went on to earn her college degree in Elementary Physical Education from Kansas State Teachers’ College. She taught at Easton Elementary for several years before staying home to raise her three children. When her children were older, she was a substitute teacher and eventually the director of Jack and Jill Preschool for 20 years.
In 1970, Joyce married the love of her life, Donald Bachtel Jr. Together they shared 53 wonderful years of marriage, made a beautiful life together, and had three children: Jeff Bachtel, Sheri Schmidling, and Lori Hughes.
Joyce loved spending time with her family, attending her grandchildren’s school and extracurricular events. Additionally, Joyce enjoyed sports, the outdoors, camping and fishing. She was a member of the First Christian Church in Leavenworth, Kansas, where she sang in the church choir, played in the bell choir, directed the youth choir, was an elder, chairman of the elders, a member of the diaconate, and was actively involved in the church women’s ministry.
Joyce was predeceased by her parents Edward and Lela Swartz, her brother William Swartz, her in-laws Donald Bachtel Sr., Edith Bachtel, and her niece Janet Matthews. She is survived by husband, Donald Bachtel Jr., her son Jeff Bachtel and his wife, Christine, her daughter Sheri Schmidling and her husband, Jeff, her daughter Lori Hughes and her husband, Kevin, and her grandchildren: Taylor, Madelyn, Ryan, and Peyton Bachtel, Jenna and Andrew Schmidling, Landry, Haidyn, and Brynn Hughes. Survivors also include, her siblings Diane Nixon, Cheryl Matto, Ronald Swartz, their spouses and children, sister-in-law Patricia Swartz, and brother and sister-in-law Dean and Debbie Hammond.
Services will be Friday, June 30, 2023 at First Christian Church, 130 N. 6th St., Leavenworth, KS. Visitation is from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. The funeral is immediately following visitation.
