Information taken from her printed obituary and her interview with students for Clearwater Reflections Spring 1988.

Joyce Montgomery was born July 12, 1924 to Jack and Alice Luft Walters in Clarkston, Wash. She graduated from Clarkston High School and then worked at several department stores and the Bank of Clarkston.

She and Wilber "Monk" Montgomery were married Feb. 6, 1943 and they lived in Mississippi and Texas before returning to Clarkston in 1946. Then they moved to Orofino where he taught school and she was a homemaker. In 1963, she went to work for Joint School District #171 as the secretary at the elementary school, retiring in 1987.

Joyce also taught tap, jazz and ballroom dancing for 24 years in Orofino. She usually taught at the studio at her home, but sometimes rented the White Pine Building. In teaching dance, she used special words like shuffle, step and etc. Dance also called for special shoes for tap, jazz and ballet.

She also used special equipment such as tape recorders, VCR tapes, photographs, records and tapes. Her youngest student was three years old. Of course, music was an integral part as were movement and exercise.

The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary the year before Joyce died. They had two sons and two daughters.

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