Joyce Elaine

Frashier

Joyce Elaine Cummings Frashier, age 95, resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, died September 25, 2026.

Joyce was born on January 24, 1931, at Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo, Texas. Joyce was the eldest child of David Lea Cummings and Lillian Dean Kirk Cummings. She lived a happy idyllic rural childhood on the family farm in Panhandle, Texas.

Joyce had a lifelong passion for books, history, quilting, needlework, and for researching and preserving family history and genealogy. She had a keen and genuine interest in the many varied people she met. Her outgoing nature led her to each person with a smile and a pleasant inquiry about their life experience and interests. Her storytelling brought family history to life. She was devoted to her large extended family and created a memorable collection of family history and genealogy. Joyce created a space of play, imagination and whimsy for her grandchildren.

She met Gordon Alexander Frashier at Abilene Christian College in 1949 and they married in 1951. Joyce earned a BA degree in English from Abilene Christian College in 1952. She earned her Master of Library Science from the University of Denver in 1969. After college Gordon and Joyce moved to the Cummings family farm in the Texas Panhandle. The 1950s drought influenced Gordon and Joyce to move to Fort Collins Colorado where Gordon pursued higher education for a career in the Bureau of Land Management. Joyce was a stay-at-home mom and began her Masters in Denver in 1964.

Joyce began her career as a librarian in 1966 while living in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Joyce worked as Assistant County Librarian at Garfield County Library, in New Castle, Colorado; County Librarian at the Humboldt County Library in Winnemucca, Nevada; and Assistant County Librarian at Carson County Library in Panhandle, Texas. In 1971 Joyce continued her career in Albuquerque, New Mexico with City of Albuquerque, Public Library System. In Albuquerque, Joyce began as Branch Manager at the Prospect Park Library, now the Tony Hillerman Library. In 1981 Joyce began working on special projects in the Albuquerque Public Library system. When Joyce retired in 1991, she was the Head of Public Services for the City of Albuquerque. Joyce thoroughly loved her work and derived great satisfaction from her contributions to all the library systems for which she worked.

Gordon and Joyce had two motor homes and traveled extensively after Gordon’s retirement. When Joyce retired in 1991, the couple moved back to Panhandle, Texas for 10 years to assist her parents in their final years, returning to Albuquerque in 2002. Gordon and Joyce celebrated 62 years of marriage together before Gordon’s passing in 2013. Joyce moved to La Vida Llena Retirement Community in Albuquerque in 2014 where she lived until her death.

Gordon and Joyce had three daughters: Alice Jan, Elaine and Bonnie. They had six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Joyce was a devoted Christian throughout her life. She was active member in every local church congregation where they lived. At the time of her death, she was a member of the Mountainside Church of Christ in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Survivors include her brother Jerry and his wife Elizabeth, her three daughters, Jan, Elaine and Bonnie and her husband Pete. Her grandchildren are Gordon and wife Michelle, Bonnie and her husband Huw, Cecily and her husband Reuben, Arlie, Spencer and his wife Michele, and Jared. Her great-grandchildren are Erick, Russell, Ruben, Henry, Gabriel, and Griffin. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Sharon Young.

The date and time for Joyce’s Memorial Service have not been set. Daniel’s Family Funeral Services is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers please donate to either Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Fund, Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity, the Barrett House Foundation Albuquerque or a charity of your choice.

Daniels Family Funerals & Cremations - Carlisle Chapel  
3113 Carlisle Blvd. NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110 505-884-1188